I Belong To You Alone
by sillyjoy
Summary: Soulmate AU. They're given the opportunity to find true love, their soul mates even, but what if they miss their chance because duh, even the author's freaking out picturing the words "Smythe" and "love" in the same sentence without "aaain't gonna happen" in between ? Brace yourselves for lots of humor, insane and Mr Puss-centered chapters. (lmfao, I'm in love w/ my own cover)
1. Prologue, I guess

**I'm gonna be honest** : this is just for fun so don't expect it to make much sense.

* * *

In this alternative universe, when a baby is born, somewhere on his body the name of his soul mate starts to appear. It's a slow process, and sometimes it takes a month for the letters to form, the still unidentified ink starting to darken till it's completely black against white skin, or silver for people with darker skin pigmentation, written in the handwriting of the person's significant other-to be. And sometimes, it takes years. No one knows the origin of that phenomenon and as hard as they try, the scientists are incapable of saying when it had all started, because many of the first marked babies that are now fully grown can still wear unfinished names that look a lot like freckles if the ink hasn't started to darken, or beauty spots, and thus be unaware of the whole thing.

The medias' interest on that new and inexplicable ability is very fresh because many people used to see it like another one of _those _jokes, claiming the photographs were fakes and the few people willing to be interviewed on talk shows just a bunch of tattooed crazies only looking for attention, and the public hadn't wanted to hear about that boring story because the majority of the humans weren't feeling concerned enough.

But since the number of people discovering someone else's name gradually forming on their baby's body, or their friend's, or their companion's, or their own is increasing exponentially ever year, it has become impossible to ignore.

The first thing the world did after finally accepting that strange miracle that looked like something coming directly from one of J.K. Rowling's books was to find a way to _hide that stupid mark_. All types of practical but still trendy gloves, bracelets and even headbands for the unluckiest, because no one knew what it meant, or even if the name on their bodies was real; no one knew what it _was for_, actually_. _And even the few who had guessed it right didn't want anyone to be able to see their marks. It was too revealing, it let people feeling too _exposed _for comfort, especially when they happened to know the person whose name they were wearing.

Now, the popular belief is that the name on your body is supposed to be the one of your soul mate. There've been weddings between people wearing each other's name during the last century, there still are, and not a single one has ended with a divorce. In fact, everybody who knows someone who has found their so-called soul mate will tell you they are the happiest couples, and complete each other so well it's frightening when you witness it from the outside, because there were no such couples, and no such perfect understanding in the whole history of the world.

So even if no scientist is able to prove that theory, it's now part of the common beliefs.

The media have even created a new denomination for the lucky ones, convinced they've found their mates. They're called 'Perfect Match', or PM – and it's rapidly become their official name.

* * *

_"Why are you wearing a bracelet ?", Blaine says a bit tentatively after they agree he'll think about coming back, and that's when Hunter decides to usher the other Warblers outside (Nick and Sebastian's smirks are annoying the hell out of him, and since he barely knows those guys, yelling at them to wipe those smiles off wasn't an option). "You should be proud of your soul mate."_

Hunter strokes the leather band fastened at the beginning of his forearm, not exactly on his wrist but a little below, just where the _name _is written without noticing, lost in the memory of two days ago.

_Hunter waits while Trent closes the doors after him, leaving them alone in the library and he studies the other boy for a moment, the _legendary _Blaine Anderson everyone's always talking (or more exactly 'gushing') about as if he is some sort of a messiah (and Hunter hopes he is, and also that he'll join the Warblers because stealing that trophy from McKinley, videotaping himself with it at Dalton and then coming back to leave the laptop with Sebastian as his guide, who spent all the time complaining about the fact that he can't stand the public schools' stench of 'poor' and 'Neanderthal' was a real challenge and he's utterly convinced he deserves to see his plan succeed)._

_To be honest, Hunter doesn't see what's so incredible – or attractive – about this little guy. Because on top of everything when he was surrounded by the Warblers he looked like a hobbit. Hunter noticed he's even shorter than Trent, and he thought Trent was a dwarf when he first saw him. Luckily, he's gifted with an amazing voice, so is Blaine Anderson, and that's the only thing Hunter cares about. He wants his boys to sing and dance like pros because he's promised himself that this year, he's beating his own record and going to Nationals. He wants to be a winner so badly he's ready to do anything to succeed. It's in his genes, Hunter Clarington can't stand losing._

_But the boy suddenly asking him about his bracelet is surprising, because no one asks that kind of things. It's taboo – has always been – and he's even giving him advice on that matter._

_Hunter doesn't know if that look in those big questioning eyes is one of genuine curiosity or just an act. The Warblers always say Blaine Anderson is the epitome of kindness, and that there's not an ounce of evil in him, but Hunter can't believe that people like exist._

_Everyone is a liar, everyone hides a dirty little secret and no one is trustworthy. If you let someone come too close, they'll end up learning how to mock you and where to push to hurt you the most._

_So Hunter isn't buying Blaine Anderson's crap, and the despising look in his cold grey eyes says it all._

_"Aren't we curious, now. You want to know why a wear one ?"_

_Blaine Anderson looks patiently at him, and when he meets Hunter's arrogant gaze he tilts his chin up a little bit as if to show he's not the least impressed, and still waits for his answer._

_It's not something unusual – the bracelet – but it's true that people have begun showing their marks freely, the awkwardness and uneasiness of the early years when the world was barely discovering the Marking having faded away even before Hunter's birth. But Hunter has his reasons, that piece of leather is there since his ninth birthday, and it's been there for so long it feels like a body part. Removing it is not an option. Plus he's sure his skin underneath must be awfully white after all this time.._

_"I bet you're dying to know. Well, I'm not gonna tell you, Blaine Warbler", he says as he sits in his armchair, his cat immediately jumping on his lap. "It's none of your business. Now you should only be focusing on making your choice. The Warblers, your family, or the New Directions. Let me know when you've made up your mind."_

_When Hunter meets Blaine Anderson's look again, the boy seems disappointed that he hasn't got his answer, and before he leaves he comes closer and points at his throat, right were a name is written in a girlish handwriting that looks like a necklace if you're looking at it without paying close attention because it's a_ reallylong name.

_'Kurt Elizabeth Hummel' it says._

_Hunter is well aware of who Kurt Hummel is (the whole Dalton knows and is still talking about him from time to time, referring to him as _the boy who stole Blaine_), and he knows he's no longer living in Ohio, so in theory there's nothing keeping Blaine from leaving McKinley and coming back with them._

_"I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, but… Just know that I've been there, and it has proven impossible to escape Fate. I'll never regret It finally catching me up."_

_Hunter raises an eyebrow but doesn't reply._

_Anyway, Blaine Anderson isn't paying him attention anymore. He just looks sadly around the room, the longing and the nostalgia so fierce in his eyes it's almost painful to look at him, and then with an awkward wave of his hand, he's gone._

* * *

**This is mostly a Huntbastian story** but I'll maybe squeeze a little Klaine in the middle. I'm not sure yet. Just using Blaine here is leaving me shaking because I feel like I'm writing him all wrong lol. Also if you see words that don't make any sense because I've made them up (yes, it can happen) or any other kind of mistakes, please, PM me. But if it doesn't bother you, then it doesn't bother me :D


	2. Where Seb's New Haircut Is Explained

**This chapter's dedicated to Sebastian's haircut in DD**, bcz I thought he looked absolutely gorgeous with his new hair although the rest of the klaine(fan)dom didn't ;_;

* * *

Mister Puss is not an ordinary cat. First of all, he hates the Human race. All of it.

He doesn't really have any particular reason to hate them, except for the fact that he can't stand to be petted because the feel of some big, sweaty, sticky fingers fumbling through his fur never fails to make him want to rip the offensive fingers off with his teeth. And also, he can't help but hiss every time he hears one of those dumb trolls talk to him with a suddenly high-pitched voice that makes the fur on his back stand up on its own it's so unbearable.

The only pair of hands he actually allows to touch him is the master's. He's the only human who knows how to pet his precious white fur without destroying hours of meticulous licking and kneading. He also addresses Puss with his usually low voice without trying to make any weird noises.

And since the master seems to dislike the rest of Humanity too, Puss kind of feels like they understand each other pretty well. It's true that last year, the master brought a girl to his dorm room back in his previous school, but she never even got to see Puss because the master quickly shut him in the bathroom. Puss hadn't complained (it was pretty warm in there, and he'd rubbed his back on the fluffy rug on the floor next to the bathtub before curling up and falling asleep) because the master had perfectly read his mind. If he had let Puss near the half-drunk and overly excited girl, he'd have bitten her, or maybe worse.

There've been only one or two girls after that first time, and then the master had moved to this new place a week ago, and Puss is still wandering outside the master's room when the master lets him, following him almost everywhere because everything is still new and exciting. After a month, he knows he'll get bored and never leave the master's room again.

He likes the big room he's in at this moment. There's a fireplace, nice carpets that doesn't smell like feet (thanks God for small miracles) and the cushions on the couches feel absolutely fa-bu-lous. He wishes he could spend all his free time here instead of staying stuck in the nearly claustrophobic dorm room when the master has classes (that's one of the places Puss isn't allowed to come), but it never stays quiet for long.

Sometimes there's only the master, which is really the best part of the day, and sometimes there are at least a thousand humans suddenly coming in, singing or dancing or laughing or doing the three at the same time, and when it happens Puss always ends up shooed away from his nice little spot on the carpet and forced to hide into a corner or under a piece of furniture to avoid being hit by one of the ungraceful trolls.

But today, for the first time, Puss is alone in the big room. The master has left so fast he hasn't had the time to follow him before the door was shut.

After a brief moment of gut-wrenching panic – because Puss has never been left alone in this place before – he has finally calmed down and now he's sitting on one of the window sills, just above the heater, watching the rain drops land with barely a sound on the other side of the window, reveling in the warm air gently brushing the fur on his back.

He turns his head when he hears the doors open. And can't suppress a loud hissing sound, frowning and showing his teeth at the human.

It's that one human the master feels the most nervous around. And Puss gets pretty well why. He never stops talking, and the deep sound of his voice looks very much like a perpetual growl. That makes Puss uneasy, because it feels like a threat, a warning that he's ready to _attack_.

The first time they met, Puss has left him with a nice scratch on the back of his hand for trying to touch the master.

The master was _his_, and the sooner the human learns that, the better.

But the master isn't here, and the human is walking right toward him, so this time if he gets scratched again, it won't be to defend the master. It'll be because Puss _loathes _him.

"Hey, little monster."

The human smiles, showing his pearly white teeth, and Puss hisses again to warn him that he's got no time to waste listening to him.

"I still can't figure out why you dislike me so much. I used to have a cat when I was a kid. She was prettier than you, of course. And she never did _that_."

The human looks at his right hand where the scratch is almost completely gone, and then he points at Puss with his forefinger, trying to touch him again. He's holding a rather big plastic cup, so he can't use more than a finger, but Puss isn't allowing even that bit of contact from him, his frown deepening and his back arching.

"Ok, ok, I got it… what a brat," the human mutters to himself before turning his back on him and settling on the nearest couch.

Puss jumps off the window sill and follows closely behind, quickly hiding under the coffee table and peeking at the human every now and then to make sure he's behaving properly.

When the human catches a glimpse of a pair of green eyes watching him from under the piece of furniture, he chuckles quietly and takes another sip of his coffee.

"I swear, you're the creepiest animal I've –"

"Hi, Seb. Where are the others ?"

Two other humans enter the room in the same time, cutting him in, and Puss thinks it's maybe time for a strategic retreat but when he tries to get away, he's immediately stuck by legs appearing in front of the coffee table on the only side Puss could have escaped by. But instead of hissing this time, Puss stays quiet because he doesn't want the two newly arrived to notice him.

They are the worst ones, always squeaking when they see him, and after he's been spotted he always ends up chased endlessly across the room until the master takes pity on him and rescues his poor pet. They've never had the chance to get him, but Puss can see through their vicious little game, and he _knows. _He _knows_ they want to pet him so bad his claws won't be enough to scare them.

"What do you think ? Late, as usual."

"Hunter too ?" another one asks, and Puss' eyes follow his legs while they move, his little body completely flattened against the cold wooden floor, ready to jump and run for his life at any moment. "I thought his sole purpose in life was to always be the first there, so he can scowl at _us _for being late," he adds with a laugh, sitting on the couch beside the unpleasant human with the coffee cup.

Puss can try to escape now, there's a gap between the foot of the coffee table and the third human's legs, but it's not that wide and the chances for him to run past him without brushing the human's pants are really low. It's times like these that he wishes he wasn't _that _fat.

"When he scowls, he reminds me of my stepfather," the standing human says. "You know, since Wes left I liked the way things were going in this club. Wes was pretty scary whenever he got angry. And maybe we did screw it up a bit with Blaine last year –"

"Can't we forget about this story _once and for all_ ?"

"– but I think we were better off without someone bossing us around. With Seb always busy hunting down every single gay guy in Dalton…"

"Excuse me ? _Hunting down _?" the first human interrupts the other, and Puss hears that unpleasant and humorless chuckle again. "Why do you always describe me as the big, scary predator ? Not that I dislike the idea of being compared to some graceful leopard, but still…"

"Oh, s-sorry Seb, I didn't mean it like that, I d-didn't –"

"Trent, you're stuttering again," the second human says in a soothing voice.

"Y-yes, sorry."

"Why are you growing out your hair ?" the second human asks promptly, and Puss sighs inwardly because it looks like this human conversation isn't ending soon.

"What ?"

"I remember you saying you go pretty often to the hairdresser's because when it grows it gets too shaggy, and you hate that."

"Why are we having this conversation, again ?"

"Are you trying to hide something ?"

The room is silent for a moment, and Puss is sure they are about to _finally, _finally leave, when the first human speaks again.

"Ok, I give up, you'd have found out eventually. I'm think I'm marked."

"What ? _Holy shit !_"

"Trent, could you just shut up ?"

"Oh, wow, you of all people…"

"Jeff, this is no laughing matter. I know… that I used to tell everyone who wanted to hear it that I wasn't dreading the Marking, and if it did happen to me and I eventually did meet my soul mate, I'd tell them to fuck off… Well... I think I wasn't truly aware what this experience would actually mean."

"How does it feel ?" the second human asks excitedly.

There is the sound of something being put on the table, and Puss starts a little.

"Itchy."

"Where ? Please, don't give me that look, we're sharing a room for a year now, you _know_ I'm curious !"

"I… I think it's on my neck, somewhere. I can't take a good look at it in the mirror, but it sure feels exactly like the descriptions I've found on the internet. It changes almost every day and it gets darker."

"Let me see !"

"Get out of my lap, you horny bitch."

"This is not your lap, Seb, now shut up and_… _Oh, well, it's still illegible, there's only one… is that a letter, even ? Wait…"

"Jeff, I think _this time it was really my lap._"

"Oh, it's an 'n' !"

"As in Stephan ?" the still standing human suggests.

"Or Julian ?"

"Andrew ?"

"Maybe Cameron –"

"Nathan !"

"Wasn't there a Tony, too ?"

"Do you know the name of _every_ guy I've ever been with by heart ?Oh my god, you're really into me, aren't you ?"

"There are too many guys with an 'n'," the second human whined. "How are we going to know…"

"We'll have to wait till the mark's complete !"

"I don't think so. I'm growing out my hair _on purpose_. Remember ?"

"But why – "

"Because I don't care about this soul mate bullshit ! And I know that if you see it when the name finally appears, you'll try to find out who it might be and I'll end up strangling some, if not_ all_, of you. This marking is too much trouble, and I like my life simple as it's always been. Plus, what if I want to date someone whose name's not written down on my body ? The chances they'll want to fool around with a marked guy are very slim ! Oh, this is just great, now the more I talk about it, the more I feel like a fucking branded cow ! Forget we talked about that, OK ?"

"But, Seb –"

"Jeff, this is _my _life."

"I know, but you're my friend. How am I supposed to react when you look so miserable ?"

"I'm not miserable. No need to exaggerate."

"Jeff's right, you do look kind of… different."

"Trent, could you please just _shut it_ ?"

"I-I.. I'm sorry –"

Puss jumps again when the first human suddenly rises from the couch and walks away.

"I don't get why you worry your pretty head so much. No one tells anything to Hunter."

Suddenly, the humans stop talking as Puss hears the sound of someone else's steps that make the wooden floor creak a bit.

"Tell me what ?"

Puss feels his little feline heart leap at the sound of the master's voice and he jumps out of his hiding place, scampering joyfully across the room until his muzzle bumps against the master's clothed ankle. He starts rubbing his back against his legs, purring and purring, because the other humans have been really annoying and it's good to be with the master again.

Oh, and he's hungry now, too.

* * *

**Author's note : **Have I already mentioned how I freaking _love_ Mister Puss ? :D


	3. The Apology Of Sebastianus

**I don't know what happened here. **I wanted to skip this scene quick and bring them all to Scandals - the natural habitat of the Sebastian - where the real fun could _finally_ begin, but then it turned into something like Sebastian's Apology (O_O) and now I... I think I'll just shut up, now.

**Ps** : Yay, I got reviews for the last chapter ! I'm a reviewed author ! There are people reviewing my story ! thankyoverymuch n_n

* * *

"Nothing !" Trent squeals and immediately casts a horrified glance at Sebastian.

Hunter frowns but knows better than to push. The Warblers know each other for years, and he may be their captain now but there's no point in trying to make them talk using force or any of the interrogation skills he's learned back in military school.

Mister Puss' suddenly pressed against his leg, showing him subtly that he's not against another food can. He can almost hear it in his loud purrs : _pluhuuuuuuse, pluuhuuuuuuse._

Hunter has never given him any food in the Warbler's room, and he's not planning on feeding him before an hour or so. But that's never stopped Mister Puss from trying his luck every now and then.

_Sorry buddy._

Hunter strokes his head between the ears, right on the spot he knows Puss likes the most before looking up at the three Warblers who are unusually silent. He notices that Trent's face is so pale he looks like he's about to faint, and Jeff can't stop tugging nervously at his locks. Even Sebastian's innocent smile is strained.

Hunter slowly goes to his desk and sits on the corner.

"Mmm-m," he says in acknowledgment to Trent, but his eyes are on Jeff who's suddenly fascinated by his shoes. When no one seems to give away, he starts rummaging through the piles of papers and sheets of music beside him, not paying them attention anymore because Sectionals are next week and they have yet to find another song beside _Live While We're Young_. He's never been one to like listening to gossips, anyway. Even when they may be about him.

"Sebastian is marked !", Trent blurts out without a warning, making everyone in the room start and causing Sebastian to almost fall on his ass. "Oh my _God_, Sebastian I-I'm so sorry," he quickly adds with a look of sheer terror as if Sebastian's going to chop off his head.

_I'm tempted_, Sebastian thinks, and it's not the first time he's having this kind of murderous thoughts, but it's never been about a Warbler before. _Times are changing_, he sighs inwardly, _what a surprise_. He dares to cast a look at Hunter, bracing himself for at least a year of merciless teasing because _that's who Hunter look-who's-got-your-trophy-bitches is_, and sees that the captain of the Warblers is still on his desk. But when their gazes meet, all he does is barely shrug and say : "Good luck with that", before refocusing on his sheets of music.

"What ?" Sebastian hears himself asking with a half-smile, frowning a bit, but his voice is covered by Jeff and Trent starting to talk about his mark, going on with the discussion about the mysterious name as if Hunter's not in the room anymore. _As if it wasn't supposed to be a secret. Well, shit._

But even though he's not particularly happy with the way his secret was revealed, Sebastian can't help but feel a little disappointed by Hunter's lack of interest. He's envisioned many different ways his announcing it to the Warblers would be, and it never ended simply like _that_. Because since the morning his nape began itching, Sebastian's feeling like his whole life's been turned upside down.

Sebastian has never been interested in the _Marking_, and even less in all its mechanics. He's always thought it was for the silly romantics who wanted to believe so bad in the idea of a perfect and undying, _everlasting _love they were suddenly able to make it happen.

To be completely honest, Sebastian has _prayed _for it to be something that only affects people who desperately want it, and that has seemed to work pretty well for the past eighteen years.

Well, until that faithful morning a week ago. Since then he's learned everything that can be find on the internet about the _Marking_, about the way it's appeared among and _struck _all the marked people who are now _suffering _like him around the globe (it's akin to suffering from his point of view, and he doesn't care that the rest of the globe believes the opposite. Others can be wrong about themselves too, and he can't wait to be able to shout I TOLD YOU SO and point his finger at everyone when they'll finally pull their heads out of their asses and face the horrible reality)

Anyway, every stories and blogs all agree to say the first days since the mark has appeared are the most unpleasant ones, because the skin where the mark's slowly forming tends either to burn or become ice cold, and the temperature's always switching between the two extremes day and night. They say it's like that until the ink has turned its darker shade (_now what's _that_ supposed to mean exactly ?_) and the name is perfectly legible.

Sebastian's still on step one, and he could've wanted to complain about the inability to have a good night of sleep without waking up every now and then because the skin on his nape is so hot it feels like it's about to melt and his heart is beating so hard there he can feel his fucking _veins_ pulse angrily there, adding another completely new dimension to his pain.

He also could've wanted to complain about the times when the opposite's happened and how he's completely failed miserably in all the tests since last week because he can't focus on anything, even when the pain happens to decrease to the blissful state of a simple buzz at the back of his neck.

But in fact, he doesn't want to complain.

Because he's still on step _one_, and now that he knows what horrifying things come next, he knows he's lucky it's not evolving faster.

Well, if he's honest, not every aspect of the _Marking _is baby-spiders-running-through-your-hair repulsive. For example, Sebastian's still musing over an interesting ability a couple has shared on a forum, assuring they have some kind of 'mental connection', which sounds awesome. Sebastian knows most people may dread that kind of connection because they're scared someone will enter their dirty little minds and reveal all their shameful secrets.

The beauty of it is that Sebastian's always oversharing with everyone who's willing to hear it, so he's got practically no secrets left. He says what crosses his mind, never feels sorry for his opinions and is rather proud of being one of the last honest men.

If reading minds – ok, maybe just one mind because the forums say soul _mate _and not _mates _– is as cool as what one can see in the movies, Sebastian's all for it.

And there's also that thing about _multiple orgasms_ he's not getting out of his mind anytime soon, because _that _is one of the mainly reasons he's not attempting suicide right now, or trying to rip off the skin of his nape with his coffee stick. People on the official website have been many to testify about that 'side effect', adding that after they've first had sex with their mates (the people on the forum have put it in a rather prettier and more lyrical way, something like '_mate with your mate_' which was so sudden in the midst of everyone being absolutely and shamelessly crude it's made Sebastian snort in front of his screen), what they've decided to call the _Bond _is made and after, occurs a short period of time when the newly bonded feel the constant craving for each other's body, leading most of them into spending days in a row barely not leaving bed and skipping work of course.

Up to there, there's nothing Sebastian's not _absolutely _eager to experience. But the problems come with the last part of the curse (because that's the way he's truly considering it, now) : you have only _one_ mate.

When you've bonded, you can't backtrack, say "it's not you, it's _me_" and leave it at that while leaving _physically _too. The worst part is the _Bond _does not only bound two people together, but it also splits them up from the _rest of the goddamn humanity _because if what he's read is trustworthy, once bonded, he'll be unable to have sex with another partner than his soul mate – _and Hell, doesn't that sound great !_

Why people haven't freaked out after the first marks started to appear is because the promise of finding true love, of finally being able to begin a relationship knowing that it's gonna _last _because that's _fucking _it – it's just what they've always wanted.

Security.

To be able to open-up oneself, reveal oneself because there's no need to hide, whatever you are is exactly why the other loves you; to be able to give without counting anymore, without second-guessing every word and every deed, or trying to hold your feelings back by fear of making the other run if you spill them all at once too soon; to be just able to stop caring about how hard you work to please the other because you just _know _it's never going to waste. It's going to last – and forever on top of that.

If Sebastian was normal, perhaps he could have found this picture appealing too. But the fact is, he knows himself better than anyone knows themselves, and actually has all his qualities and flaws listed somewhere in the back of his head.

There's no need to say the second column is the shortest (_and it's totally honest_), but it's also the heaviest. Behind the pretty looks, for as far as he can remember, Sebastian's always been mean – but only because he can't stand to let people walk around not knowing how _stupid _they look – and neither has he ever been a stable person too.

As a kid, it'd become clear there was no use for his parents or friends to ask him what his favorite animal was, because it tended to change every hours until he'd explored all possibilities (that helped him quite a bit during his first year in primary school, because he already knew the name of every animal and the girls found him smart and cool); the same problem occurred with his 'favorite' color, which led his parents to deciding (for him) that it was the _rainbow_, because it was easier for everyone that way (And who could have known it would be the prophecy for their young son's not-awakened-yet sexuality ?).

Sebastian's never felt he was broken because he wants to enjoy life before he gets all wrinkled and fat (but never bald – God _no_. He's ready to have unknown hair that has probably been stolen from a homeless surgically transplanted into his scalp rather than ending up looking like Kurt Hummel's father, whose bowling ball head had offensively appeared on tv once, shining brightly as a well-polished wheel rim). He's _different_; he expects things from life very few people in Ohio can understand.

He gets bored. And much, _much _too quickly for it to look healthy or normal for an outsider.

He gets bored of his family, bored of his friends, bored of a guy after they've had sex only once, and sometimes even after they've barely talked a bit. He's made up some 'survival' techniques like trying to not spend more time than necessary with the same people, never let a relationship last more than an hour after meeting the guy, and there are a few more but even that plan has failures, which is why he never complained once when his parents told him two years ago that they were finally leaving Paris and moving back to Ohio.

This pretty much sums the reasons why Sebastian's utterly, hopelessly, absolutely and no-place-for-fucking-doubt sure that this whole soul mate thing ? He's going to _suck _at it.

And he still doesn't get why Hunter's paying him so little attention when he _has _to know how fucking much he _needs_ someone to laugh at him, give him a reason to yell at them and not just _stand there and feel accepted – or rather forgotten._

* * *

**Yup, next chapter's definitely taking place at Scandals**, but I don't know when I'll be able to write it yet. Have to cram for finals and stuff...


	4. You Can't Blame It All On The Alcohol

**Wow, this one is the longest.** But I won't be updating anytime soon (not before something like a gooood month) so, um... enjoy ?

It will please me to no end knowing what you think of this one. And sorry again for the mistakes and all, I hope my writing is still understandable.

**Oh, and Happy New Year everyone ! (;**

* * *

"So…"

Hunter looks up to find Sebastian standing in front of him, hands in his pockets and looking distractedly at the sheets of music in Hunter's hands.

Hunter sighs inwardly and gets ready for what looks like another round of sexual innuendos and merciless teasing.

"Wanna take a look at my magical tattoo ?" He says, waggling his eyebrows playfully.

Thad, Nick, David and the rest of the Warblers enter the room the moment he's finished his sentence, and Hunter looks up and quirks an eyebrow, asking for permission to speak in front of the others.

Sebastian simply rolls his eyes up to the ceiling.

Well, the secret about his mark is out already, so Hunter stands up and crosses his arms over his chest, his cat playing with a corner of the carpet at his feet. He's thought he could get away by ignoring him, but he should have known better.

Because it's Sebastian Smythe, the man that has already 'fallen in love' (more like 'had sex') with more boys than there are states in the US because it seems like he's convinced there's a use-by date on every guy he hooks-up with, and he always hurries to break up with them the sooner possible.

Hunter can't help but smirk when he pictures a smitten Sebastian trailing after his soul mate like a lovesick puppy. It's so out of character it's almost scary.

Hunter knows what it feels like when the realization hits that someone has chosen in _your place _who you're going to have to spend the rest of your life with, because no one else will do. Hunter has tried to rebel against this injustice, and it has only led him to hurting his childhood friend and probably losing her forever in his stubbornness. He can only imagine how lost Sebastian Smythe must feel at this very moment.

In other circumstances he could have gladly talked about it, maybe given him some advice even, but this entire topic just seems to always _always _lead to embarrassing questions about his _own _mark, and Hunter's not ready to answer those yet.

"Depends on where it's located," he finally replies. "I don't want to need retinal transplants after."

Sebastian looks a little caught off guard by his reply because Hunter usually never bothers replying him when he gets all cocky (which is all the time), but Hunter regrets nothing. Beside the fact that he needs to change the topic, he enjoys being finally able to get his revenge on him after the merciless teasing Sebastian's putting him through at every given opportunity. Hunter can tell Sebastian finds him attractive (_well, who doesn't ? Hunter's well aware of his good looks_), and if Sebastian's never pushed it too far it's only because it's common knowledge since Hunter's arrived in Dalton that he's recently broken up with his girlfriend.

Who dumped him over the phone – but that part he's keeping to himself.

Sighing inwardly, Hunter chases away Amanda's memory that keeps haunting him lately.

"It's on my neck, actually. But whenever you want to see more, all you have to do is ask…"

"Wha'sh oh yo' neck ?" Nick asks around his mouthful of apple, spitting bits of it in every direction and Sebastian steps quickly back to protect his pristine blazer.

"Oh my god ! We have to tellyouguysyouarenevergoingt obelieveitSebismarked," Trent says without breathing once, his face turning instantly purple.

"Wha' ?" Nick asks in confusion before swallowing.

"I thought I said no food in the common room," Hunter growls while the rest of the Warblers gather around Sebastian to see why Trent is hyperventilating.

"Sorry, but I bet with Thad that I can spend twenty four hours without eating anything, and now I'm starving."

"So you're eating an apple ? You're watching your weight or something ?" Sebastian sneers.

"Shut up Seb, I was late for practice and it was the only thing I managed to grab at the cafeteria."

"Why did you bet on something so silly ?" Hunter asks, lowering his face in his palm because he can't believe the members of his glee club are doing such dumb things as starving themselves this close to Sectionals.

"Hey, when there are no chicks a man has to find himself some occupations."

Hunter watches them all take turns to high five Thad and he finds himself exchanging with Sebastian an amused look.

"I still don't understand," Nick says, taking another bite of his apple, "What… Holy _shit _Seb ! There's… There… Did you see that ?!"

"Ok, ok, calm down Nick, you're scaring me there."

"You've been marked too, man ?" David says after Trent has recovered enough to tell the others properly and comes to pat him shoulder. "I can't wait to see who's the lucky one"

Sebastian tries to swat him on the back of the head but David's already jumped out of his reach, laughing with the rest of the group.

"I can't see anything, it's really small…"

"Jeff and I we're pretty sure we saw an 'n'."

"That's not enough, look better !"

"Yeah, it doesn't mean anything; anyone has an 'n' in this room."

"As soon as we get the name, I'm looking it up on Facebook to see if he's ugly !"

"Thad, that would be a low blow and you know we don't do that to each other in our club" David reminds him quietly even though his hand grabs Thad's neck lightly as a warning, making him gulp loudly.

Meanwhile, Nick tries to get a closer look but Sebastian has had enough so he shoves his palm in his face and pushes him aside, and Hunter's biting his lips to keep from laughing because watching Sebastian defend himself from the pack of hyenas the Warblers have become is absolutely hilarious.

"Ok, I think you've had enough laughing at my expense. I may be marked but it doesn't mean I'm getting married tomorrow, so you ladies can all stop the fuck down with the cackling."

The whole room bursts out laughing and Sebastian doesn't seem very pleased with it, averting his gaze to the windows and sighing, looking like he's sending a silent plea to God.

Hunter's laughing with the others, he can't help himself anymore, and he can't believe Sebastian hasn't seen all of this coming.

* * *

Practice that day's a disaster.

Everyone keeps discussing Sebastian's mark, then the _Marking _in general, wondering when or if their turn will come someday, and when they finally get to practice for the last twenty minutes, Hunter's forced to establish a new anti-cellphone policy for rehearsals after Trent can't stop texting and ends up throwing a punch square in David's nose because he's missed the last twirl to the left.

_"Why did you hit me, are you crazy ?" David has shouted, his hand clasped on his nose as if he was afraid it would fall off._

_"And who the hell are you texting all the time ?", Hunter's asked, clearly displeased._

_"What do you think ? I have friends !"_

_"Really ?" Sebastian's scoffed at him. "Are they of the imaginary sort ?"_

Afterwards, Hunter has dismissed the Warblers with the exception of Sebastian, Jeff and Thad because they still haven't heard anything from Blaine and the members of the club are starting to worry with Sectionals only seven days away and scarcely one song on their set list.

"We can't wait for Blaine forever," Sebastian says, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

They're all settled down in the two leather couches, Thad and Hunter in the first one closer to the door and Jeff and Sebastian sharing the opposite one.

"You were the one who advised me to try and take him back," Hunter replies a bit sassily.

"Please, guys, we must wait a little longer."

Jeff raises his arms in exasperation when three pair of eyes set upon him without a word.

"Don't you remember how good we were back then ? Have you all forgotten ?"

Sebastian exchanges a look with Hunter and Thad coughs a bit theatrically before launching himself into an impossibly long speech : "Listen Jeff, there're only two of us here who can remember Blaine. Well, Sebastian's seen him perform on stage before, but he never got to actually sing and dance with him in front of a whole audience and Hunter's in the same case, so I'm not addressing to them because they can't understand.

Jeff, don't think me or anybody else in this club has forgotten about Blaine. You know we love him, we always will, but… He's gone. We can't stay here crying daily about him, because he's made his _choice_. I don't need to hear him say it; the day he quit the Warblers, I knew it was over."

"Thad's right," Hunter replies, rubbing his chin, "We need to…"

_This is so annoying, _Sebastian thinks, unable to keep up with the conversation he's so bored with it already. _At first, it was fun to hope that Blaine would come back, but it's clear now he won't let the New Directions down, even without Kurt. It has never been only about Kurt._

After fifty minutes of discussion, the greatest part of which was spent arguing in a _moderately _loud voice (no one's allowed to shout in the common room, it's supposed to be an oasis where harmony prevails, and also the headmaster's office's only two floors below them and even though he's their biggest supporter, they'd better not push their luck), Jeff defending Blaine like a lioness defending her babies – it was scary, and Sebastian's praying he won't ever see Jeff again looking so emotionally wrecked – they've finally come up with the decision to forget about Blaine Anderson and start looking for their next song.

Sebastian's watching the sunset through the big windows of the common room when someone snaps his fingers just under his nose making him start.

"What the hell ?"

"Suggestions, Seb, we were exchanging suggestions for our set list while you were dozing off."

"Am not", Sebastian grunts at Jeff, but then he yawns widely, stretching his arms behind his head till the joints are cracking. "Ok, maybe."

"There's only a week left," Hunter sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "It's not enough to do anything fancy. We're going to rely entirely on _Live While We're Young_."

"I think I have a suggestion..."

"We're listening, Warbler Sebastian," Thad cuts him off enthusiastically, "you have permission to speak."

Hunter and Sebastian both turn to look at Thad with a surprised look that makes him he blush before mumbling something that sounds like _"sorry, forgot we're not doing it that way anymore"_.

"Yeah… whatever. As Hunter's just said, we can't work out another routine of the same quality as _Live While We're Young _with so little time left_. _This is why I think now is the perfect time for me to come out again with the song our captain so promptly dismissed the first time and that now looks like the _perfect _choice."

"What song ?"

Thad casts a questioning look at Hunter who's now openly glaring at Sebastian.

"No way in _hell _! I'm not doing a song about _blowjobs !_"

"Come on, Hunt, I didn't know you were such a prude."

"If you knew me better, you would never call me a prude. I'm serious – we can't do _Whistle _at Sectionals, the jury's going to either faint or ban us from any future Show Choir Competition or both. It'd be a disaster, and I'm not letting that happen under _my _leadership."

"Hunt, listen for a sec, ok ? Just try to listen to my marvelous plan without interrupting me. _Whistle _is really popular, I bet everyone in the audience's just going to love it – because seriously, who cares about the lyrics nowadays ? It's the jury who will be too busy focusing on the lyrics to care about the fact that we're using basic steps. No one has ever sung something that daring in this Competition so I'm pretty sure it's gonna divert their attention from our routine perfectly.

And then we can follow up with _Live While We're Young_ and that's all there is to it."

"Stop fucking with me, Sebastian. This is never going to happen."

"Oh, I wish I were," Sebastian replies with a devilish smile.

"Am I interrupting something ?" Nick shouts when he suddenly enters the room dancing, before freezing and adding quickly : "oh shit, am I _really _interrupting something ?"

Nick's attention's directed towards them and Hunter realizes Sebastian's face is really close because they're both standing now and practically leaning over each other.

_How… ?_

He figures that after arguing so passionately, they must have moved without paying attention to it. It doesn't make it any less awkward when everyone else is looking at them and Sebastian's giving him a vicious smile as if he _knows exactly _what he's just done.

Not amused the slightest, Hunter raises his eyebrows, looking pointedly at Sebastian who smirks but steps backwards without uttering a word. Then he turns to Nick who's literally bouncing on his feet.

"Ready for tonight ?!"

"What's tonight ?" Hunter asks, dropping on the couch again.

"Tonight," Sebastian explains, voice filled with mock pride, "I'm taking those girls to their first ball."

* * *

Nick, Hunter and Jeff are sitting at a table at the far end of the bar, each with a beer in the hand except for Hunter because he's their designated driver. He's nursing a nonalcoholic cocktail whose complicated name he can't really remember and looking around with a semblance of curiosity.

Scandals is what's commonly called a gay bar, if judging by the male couples swaying on the dance-floor and the drag queen who greeted Sebastian by his real name at the entry and not by the one on his fake ID. When Hunter heard they were going out, he'd thought it would do him no wrong to come along and have some fun. He was expecting another kind of place but now he realizes he should have known Sebastian isn't interested in going to a place where he can get beaten the crap out of him for merely glancing sideways at a straight guy.

Thad's lucky – the minute he entered the bar he was spotted by what must be the only straight girl hanging out there and now they're sitting at the counter, eating at each other's face, blissfully blind to the rest of the universe.

Nick's tapping his foot in rhythm with the music, looking excited as a kid on Christmas Day and after a moment of hesitation he takes a long sip of his beer before putting it down with a loud thump and stands up.

"Ok – I'm going."

Hunter and Jeff watch him walk away and start dancing by himself in the middle of the crowd, instantly catching the eye of a pretty boy who doesn't wait long before joining him.

"I knew he would be in his element here."

Sebastian drops on Nick's seat and hums happily, his eyes wide and excited. He looks like he's in his element too, Hunter thinks.

"So… what are you losers doing, sitting here ?"

"Jeff I'm not sure," Hunter replies, "but I'm personally not feeling especially bi-curious tonight."

Sebastian chuckles and shrugs in his own manner that means "_too bad for you !"_ before turning to Jeff.

"Wanna dance, Jeffrey ? You look like someone just killed your puppy. Come on, tiger !"

Without waiting for a reply Sebastian stands up and pulls an actually rather miserable looking Jeff (_"Don't call me that, you know I hate it !"_) to the dance-floor, dancing around him and doing everything to try and cheer his friend up.

After resisting at first, Jeff quickly gives up and his face splits into a grin when he finally starts dancing.

* * *

What seems like two hours later, Hunter's with his back at the counter with Nick and Thad on his sides, and he's glaring daggers in the general direction of the dance floor where Sebastian's dancing – no, wait, where he's actually _grinding _against a guy for what seems like _ages_.

He doesn't know why, but since he's spotted them he can't stop watching and waiting for the other to make the smallest mistake that will give him the opportunity to stride right toward them and punch the little fucker in the face.

"Hey, you OK ?" Nick asks him, twisting his neck to see what Hunter's looking at.

"Yeah," Hunter growls, unable to tear his gaze from the couple on the dance-floor.

Sebastian flirting with the shorter man is making Hunter's blood boil in his veins and his muscles tense; jealousy's gnawing at his guts even though he's not sure of what exactly he's so jealous – maybe it's because Sebastian has slowly become the closest thing Hunter's got for a friend ? Yeah, that must be it, and now this stupid twink is shamefully groping Sebastian's body (his _friend's _body) like he's owning him, and the fact that there's nothing he can do about it is slowly driving him crazy.

_He's mine !_ Hunter's mind is endlessly roaring, _mine, mine, mine !_

"Don't worry, he knows what he's doing. He's been coming here every week for two years now, I think it's safe to say he doesn't need us to…"

"I'm not _worried_," Hunter interrupts him when he spots Sebastian who's making a beeline for the bar before stopping in front of them, pulling his boy toy after him.

"Look what I found myself. I think I'm in love" Sebastian slurs, cheeks bright red and eyes even more gleaming than before – he's obviously drunk or on the brink of being there.

Hunter frowns when he sees Sebastian stumble over an invisible obstacle and the other boy catch him before he can fall, immediately taking advantage of his clumsiness and wrapping his arms around his waist and keeping them there.

When he meets his gaze, Hunter makes sure he's throwing his scariest glower at the boy, and he watches with a sadistic satisfaction when the other guy literally shrinks under his gaze and his grip around Sebastian loosens when he takes half a step back.

But Sebastian seems obvious to their silent exchange and carries on with his drunken babble.

"… and he doesn't have a single 'n' in his name. Aww, I'll never be able to fuck any _n'ed_ people anymore ! But I love _n'ed_ people ! Oh, the Hell with it, come on Better-Version-Of-Patrick-Swayze, I wanna dance !"

Sebastian quickly returns to the dancing floor and the other guy's about to follow him when Hunter grabs him by the arm and waits for the boy to turn around and face him.

"What's your name," Hunter snaps, not even trying to be polite.

"Dean," the boy replies with a self-satisfied grin before freeing his arm and walking away to where Sebastian's resumed dancing.

Hunter's eyes are literally digging holes in Dean's back and when he shifts his gaze to linger on Sebastian, he realizes that however Sebastian's one of the best dancers in the Warblers, when he's drunk he's absolutely terrible, limbs shaking in every direction without much care for coordination, which makes him trip and fall against his partner's chest quiet often.

It's utterly adorable how vulnerable Sebastian gets when he's drunk; he looks helpless and he's much more touchy-feely, but Hunter can't stand that stranger – Dean – seeing him like this, taking advantage of him and leading him on when Sebastian's sincerely convinced that there's not a single chance for this guy to be his soul mate.

To keep his irritation at bay, Hunter finds himself clenching and unclenching his fists on his sides like some sort of psychopath and he can feel Nick's worry for him flowing like waves from his body next to him but he can't bring himself to care. Hunter only wants to get there, take Sebastian by the first limb he can catch and get the fuck out of this stupid gay bar because he can't stand it anymore.

_But what if he is ?_ A little voice whispers in his head. _What if Dean is Sebastian's soul mate ? Do you want to keep them away from each other ?_

_Yes_, he thinks, _because Sebastian said he doesn't want that._

And before he's had the time to realize what he's doing, Hunter's standing up, walking to where they're now lazily swaying to the most disgustingly sweet slow he's heard and tapping on Dean's shoulder.

"I'm driving this big guy back home, so get your paws off him and step the fuck back. Don't even think of arguing."

He takes Sebastian's hand in his own and the look in Sebastian's half-lidded eyes goes instantly from confused to content and even grateful, but then Hunter's maybe imagining the last one.

"Oh, and thank you for entertaining him tonight – that was really nice of you."

Hunter laughs inwardly when he leaves Dean alone on the dance-floor with a mix of emotions going from anger to shock to disappointment on his face.

When they're finally outside on the parking lot he pulls Sebastian fiercely against his chest without giving it a single thought, framing his face with both hands before smashing his lips against Sebastian's in a searing kiss.

Sebastian's lips are soft and pliant, and fucking_ delicious_ with the faint taste of beer still lingering there, but he's not responding at all to Hunter's kiss, so he's about to break it because it suddenly feels so _so_ _so _wrong and Hunter's starting to feel the panic rise inside and – and then Sebastian throws his arms around Hunter's neck (he's never realized before that he's just a bit taller than Sebastian) and his body melts against him. His mouth opens up with a sigh, and Hunter whimpers weakly against his lips when he's finally granted access, sucking at his tongue teasingly. The kiss turns open-mouthed and plainly dirty and they're swallowing each other's moans of pleasure, still standing in the middle of the parking lot.

Hunter feels like his brain's gone completely blank, and there's nothing else but the feel of the warm and hard body wrapped around him so snuggly, just as if it was _meant _to fit against his own. The only sound is the distant pounding of the bass coming from the bar, his heart beating and their loud and shaky breaths.

What feels like a thousand years later there are hands pushing weakly at his chest and then a rush of cold air passes between their bodies when Sebastian stumbles back out of his embrace, wide-eyed and mouth agape – his lush, glistening mouth which Hunter can't stop looking at, strangely mesmerized by the skin around it that's turned cherry-red, proving just how hungry and rough Hunter's been.

Sebastian's looking for something to say, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water and it would seem absolutely weird for sharp-tongued, quick-witted, _I'll-never-let-you-have-the-last-word-you-sucker _Sebastian to be unable to find his words if not for the fact that he's drunk.

_Shit ! shit, shit, shit and double shit ! Why did you have to kiss him ? W-h-y ? You should thank God on your knees for making it happen when he's so fucking loaded he won't remember it later._

"Look, I-I…"

"Hey Seb ! Hunter ! Where are you going ?"

Thad and Nick who've watched him steal Sebastian from his eye-candy and storm out of the bar are now running after them, stopping a few feet away.

Hunter can't take a look at himself but if it's only one percent as bad as Sebastian's state – and he's currently looking so utterly _debauched _Hunter's forced to avert his eyes if he doesn't want the others (or Sebastian) to catch him staring and drooling like a dog – he's basically fucked up.

His lips are tingly, so they must be swollen and his scalp is itchy because at some point Sebastian's greedy fingers have disarranged his hair and tangled his always so carefully styled locks in an unusual way.

Hunter's bad mood hasn't improved a notch – it has only worsened with the added dread of their friends starting to make conclusions after they've caught them looking so messy, and that's why he decides to do what he does best and glares at them, daring them to only start _thinking _of speculating about what must have happened.

Thad and Nick share a quick look before finally nodding at each other and heading for Hunter's car.

Hunter feels the tension in his shoulders melt away and he grabs Sebastian by the arm before pulling him towards his black SUV, making sure he doesn't trip on his own feet.

"Uh, where's Jeff ?" He asks when they are all inside, Sebastian slumped in the passenger seat and the two others sitting in the back.

"He left Scandals an hour ago with some random dude. He just texted me he's not going back to Dalton tonight." Nick replies.

Hunter studies Nick's unhappy face in the rearview then shrugs and starts the SUV. He gets why Nick's so upset – but even if the idea of Jeff somewhere in a stranger place with an unknown man is not a pretty comforting idea, it's not his place to trail after him and be all overprotecting like a mother hen, or call him and give him the lecture of his life.

Hunter doesn't know him enough yet to allow himself to act like his friend, or like he cared.

* * *

The ride to Dalton goes pretty smoothly, Sebastian snoring quietly beside him with his right cheek flattened against the window, Nick sulking silently and Thad humming happily beside him – he's actually the only one still in a good mood, and it's only because he's had too many beers to be able to perceive the gloomy atmosphere reigning in the car.

After pulling in the private parking lot in the back of the dorm building, Hunter reaches out for Sebastian's shoulder and shakes him as gently as he can to wake him while Nick's trying to convince happy-drunk Thad that it'll do him no good to sleep in the back seat tonight.

When they finally arrive on the third floor, Nick grabs Thad who's grinning goofily by the collar and tells Hunter goodnight before leaving him there with Sebastian. Nick and Thad share the same room, but Hunter and Sebastian don't, and Hunter's room is actually on the fourth floor. He want's nothing more but to abandon Sebastian right on the spot and resume climbing the stairs till he's reached his own floor but when he turns to look at him, Sebastian's eyes are closed and it seems like he's sleeping upright.

_He looks like a drugged zombie. You can't leave him like that…_

"Alright, _alright !_" He sighs, throwing his arms in the air before taking Sebastian's hand (there's no one else to notice and it's not as if it actually _means _something, so !) and proceeds leading him to his room, his arms resting fleetingly on his lower back to give him support whenever he loses his balance and staggers backwards.

Sebastian's mumbling softly during the short trip to his room, and Hunter's straining his ears to hear but his voice's too quiet so he gives up and pushes the door open.

Inside the tiny common room, everything is catalog-level neat and Hunter can't help but smirk because even if he's never lived with him, he just _knows _it's Jeff who keeps this place so tidy.

Just like his own place – which he shares with a boy whose name he keeps forgetting but who he's grateful for because he's not part of the Warblers (they can get tiresome when he has to endure them all day long) and is always so quiet it's almost like he's not there – there are two opposite doors, one leading to Jeff's room and the other to Sebastian's.

Hunter turns to face Sebastian and points to the door on the right with his thumb : "That one ?"

When Hunter glances sideways at Sebastian, he simply nods and squeezes his hand, and Hunter takes it as a signal that he can lead him forward.

Sebastian's room is not as neat as he's imagined, but it's not completely messed-up either. There's a small pile of laundry beside the door, a few textbooks scattered on the floor under his desk, and that's all. His bed isn't made, but there's a set of casual clothes perfectly folded laying on his chair, and his desk is dirt-free. It's not perfect, but at least it's proper and doesn't smell funny.

There's a shelf hanging on the wall above his desk, and Hunter's not surprised to see it's cramped with books. What surprises him though is that they're not just novels – there's poetry too, quiet a lot of it, and even what looks like an art book by some painter Hunter's never heard of.

"Well…"

Hunter finally turns around and after casting a brief glance in Sebastian's direction to make sure he's still breathing, he walks to the door and steps back into the other room.

There's suddenly a loud thud behind him, coming from Sebastian's room and sounding a lot like someone falling on the floor.

"Oh, shit !" Hunter quickly backtracks, already picturing the worst, Sebastian hitting his head against the corner of his desk and bleeding to death or ending with a commotion and losing his memory, but what he actually sees when he comes back is Sebastian lying on the thin carpet, busy with pulling a bottle of gin from under his bed.

"_How_…" Hunter frowns, trying to express what he's feeling – relief (_he's alive !_), anger (_I'm gonna choke you for scaring me shitless, you motherfucker !_) and bewilderment (_man, do I need to sign you up for the nearest Alcoholic Anonymous meeting ?_). "OK, Never mind."

"Don't go…"

Sebastian's voice is not slurred anymore, just a bit harsher than usual, and he's looking at Hunter with big, hopeful, completely-devoid-of-banter (and really bloodshot) eyes.

"Please ?"

Hunter only wants to go to his own room and slip into bed as soon as he gets there, and the hell with changing into his pajama, but something in Sebastian's puppy eyes (_and now he's even adding a pout, that manipulative bastard !_) makes him weak and unravels his willpower in a way he's not sure he can understand. He doesn't want to go anywhere when Sebastian's looking at him like _that._

"Ok, _fine_, but only for a minute or two."

Closing the door, he walks to the bed and lets himself drop on it, a deep sigh escaping his mouth as soon as his body sinks into the soft mattress.

_Careful, don't fall asleep._

Sighing again, he rolls onto his side and reaches forward, "Gimme that," and gestures toward the bottle Sebastian's drinking from.

"Don't you think you've had enough alcohol already ?" he asks before taking a sip, grimacing at the strong taste but enjoying the warmth spreading in his throat.

"Beer is no alcohol", Sebastian counters with a half-smile before rising on his elbow to snatch his bottle back from Hunter.

The fact that he's not as dizzy as he was just a moment before and the tell-tale bottle of gin hidden in his room are proof enough of Sebastian's high tolerance level for alcohol, so Hunter doesn't argue.

Hunter knows he can't compare with Sebastian because he doesn't drink often – his grandfather's died of liver cancer, after a life spent drinking too much and beating up his wife every night, so the topic of alcohol's not a very amusing one in his family, especially for his father, who's sworn nor he nor his son will ever end up like his own father.

Even when he was sent to military school, far from his family and his father's strong education – yeah, when you're lieutenant-general of the US marines you tend to rule your household like barracks, _and don't even think you'll make it alive if you haven't made your bed before leaving for school_ – Hunter never indulged himself into drinking more than needed, and only when he'd _had _to. He didn't, and still doesn't want to end like the poor excuse of a human his grandfather was.

Even so, he still takes the bottle each time Sebastian holds it out for him, and they drink in companionable silence until Hunter's ears and fingers and toes are completely numb, and his eyelids are starting to get heavier than load.

"So," Sebastian drawls with his usual tone back, breaking the silence, "how was your first night out ?"

Hunter's been studying the ceiling for a moment now, and he lets his head roll to his side to be able to look at Sebastian who's still on the floor next to the bed.

"Not sure yet," he mumbles, "but just so you know… your little boy toy ? His name was Dean, the sneaky bastard."

"How do you… ?"

"I asked him", Hunter replies and shrugs with one shoulder, because he's already too sleepy he can't find the strength to do it with _both._

Sebastian's eyes get suddenly so warm they're gleaming and he chuckles, his bottle pressed lightly against his mouth.

"I'm sorry for kissing you."

"Don't be, it wasn't _that _bad."

"I'm not gay, and we're friends, so I… I feel like I need… I must… sorry," he finally mutters into the bedspread.

At some point, Hunter finds himself crawling slowly out of the bed to join Sebastian, and he can't help it – he's feeling lonely in the bed, after all, so it's _understandable_. He tries to coordinate his movements, but he still ends up falling really ungracefully on his ass, and stays there for a second to recover and remember why he's going through all this trouble. When he's able to tell the difference between the ceiling and the floor again, he crawls towards Sebastian and snuggles up against him on the carpet, putting his head on Sebastian's chest and wrapping an arm around his middle.

_Not good, Hunter, not good, _the little voice in his mind tries to warn him, but Hunter's ability of having rational thoughts is actually on vacation for the night so he never gets the message.

"This is… oddly nice."

Hunter tries to agree verbally, but the only thing he does is hum contentedly before falling fast asleep.

* * *

Sebastian wakes the next morning with a smile on his face, which is pretty unusual.

Sebastian's not a morning person. On ordinary mornings when he wakes up he keeps his eyes shut like a baby pup because he can't find the willpower to open them before he's had a hot shower; and then he's grumpy and even meaner than usual until he's had his first coffee of the day because he lives on caffeine.

Mornings are also the moment of the day when he has to get rid of his latest hook-up if he had brought one the night before, and the guy usually doesn't realize he's in a dorm and begs for a quick morning fuck. And cute as they are, Sebastian always has to decline because he doesn't want them to be there when Jeff wakes up.

This morning too, Sebastian can feel strong arms wrapped tight around him, a leg tangled with his own and a warm breath tickling his neck. The part where they're lying on the floor is something new, though, and he can't believe he's forgotten about his back problems that keep coming back every time he's not careful enough.

_Great Sebastian, that was the dumbest idea of the century. Hope your back's gonna hurt like a bitch today at cross practice._

The steady pounding right behind his forehead – the result of yesterday's immoderate drinking – is not as bad as it could be, but it still feels like Woody Woodpecker has decided to settle inside his frontal lobe. And the taste ins his mouth – no, better not think too much about it or he may puke.

He's not sure he remembers bringing someone from Scandals, but then maybe his memory will come back if he sees the other guy's face.

Sebastian moves a bit, ready to wake the other man, but while his eyes are following the line of the stretched arm he's using as a pillow he suddenly sees something that makes his blood freeze in his veins.

There, right below the wrist stands his name, written upside-down in his well-recognizable piggy writing – the one every teacher always complains about.

_Sebastian Thomas Smythe._

"Son of a bitch !" He yells while standing hastily up, so infuriated he can't bring himself to even _care _when the pounding in his head gets worse with the sudden movement.

* * *

Hunter wakes up that morning with the Lord of all headaches, and if he wasn't feeling like his head would split up in two if he only moves a bit, he would have groaned with the pain of it.

He feels like he's just woken up from coma, the taste in his mouth absolutely _disgusting _and comforting him in the idea that he _really_ could have been in a coma.

When he opens his eyes, things get even worse so he quickly closes them. He's about to roll when he feels something heavy and warm resting on top of his right arm.

Actually, the more he's recovering from this shitty coma, the more confusing things get. First, he can tell that he's naked, because the cold air running down his spine makes him shiver from time to time. There's also the fact that his left arm's wrapped around… another naked body.

Hunter can't remember the beginning of who this girl could be, so he forces his eyes open again, blinking away the unpleasant sting of the light hitting his raw and alcohol-damaged cornea, and the first thing he sees is a back – a very naked, and very _male _back, the shaggy but still short hair and the strong neck leaving no fucking place for doubt.

_Holy fucking mother of God !_

The extent of his internal freak-out is terrifying and leaves him petrified – _he's lying naked and hugging a guy from _behind _for fuck's sake ! _– and just when he's thinking that nothing, no _fucking_ thing, can be worse than this, his gaze slides down to the other boy's nape where he instantly recognizes the very familiar handwriting along with the name written on it and the boy this neck belongs to.

_Hunter Elvis Clarington._

"Son of…"

"… a bitch !" Sebastian's yelling at the exact same moment.

* * *

**Worst cliffhanger in all history of cliffhangers. **But still pretty proud of Hunter's middle name. The name of a King, suits him right... :D


	5. Where Seb's Tired of Playing Nice, Again

**This chapter nearly killed me. **It's my first try at smut (this is where the rating goes from T to M so _you have been warned)_, it's probably overall "bleh" and since I finished it at 2am I'll probably see if there are any awful mistakes tomorrow (no, _today _since it's 2am, but_ later_).

**Now I want to give a big hug to my reviewers, and followers, and favoriters** (O_O) because it's always nice to know somebody reads my crap. Love ya all ! \o/

**P.S.** : Oh, yes, there is some Blam in here (I love them so muuuch I had to write something 'bout them)

* * *

Hunter and Sebastian disentangle from each other at the speed of light but Hunter has hardly the time to catch his breath after his angry yelp before the other's leaning forward, planting his hands on either side of his head and forcing him to bend back to avoid any contact with Sebastian's body – his _really naked_ body.

"Oh God," Hunter groans and he feels his face heat up when he's got trouble keeping his eyes from wandering south. "Get off me !" He barks, eyes hard as glass.

"Shit, Hunt… could you not _scream_ ?" Sebastian hisses, squinting but not budging in the least.

His face is paler than usual and he's got dark circles under his eyes – the only external evidences of his hangover – , but he doesn't seem to be in an unbearable state of pain.

Hunter on the other hand feels like there's a fucking _mammoth_ sitting on his forehead and his skull's about to give away at any moment under the pressure.

"Why are we naked ?" Sebastian says as he shamelessly ogles Hunter's body currently trapped under his own. "I'd remember unwrapping you."

"I'm not a package ! _You_ tell me why, this looks a lot like one of your fucking pranks ! "

If he hasn't been drinking so carelessly last night, Sebastian would already sport a black eye or even worse for only _thinking_ of coming so close without any fucking clothes on him. But because of his headache Hunter's reflexes are shitty as hell and when Sebastian leans forward and takes hold of Hunter's wrist, stretching it above his head and stroking the paler patch of skin, right where the leather band used to be (_damn, where is it ?!_) the only thing he can do is gasp at the sensation of those warm fingers against his cold skin.

His heart rate speeds up at the realization that someone else is freely looking at the only part of his body he's ever been ashamed of – so much that he's never even let his girlfriend take a look at it, nor any of his few 'post-breakup' hook-ups (that's actually a sad period of his life he's trying really hard to forget). Even his family doesn't know what he's been hiding under that wristband for years now, and they've never asked because when someone marked doesn't want to show it, it's just something you don't do. It's a taboo even people who don't believe in the _Marking_ are reluctant to break.

Now the feeling of being overexposed is nearly suffocating and Hunter can't take it any longer, struggling forcibly and trying to knock Sebastian over without touching him too much – which proves to be impossible, and only earns him to have his other arm stretched above his head too.

"Shit, give me my wristband back ! You had no right to take it off !"

Sebastian completely ignores him as he rubs his ringed eyes to chase away the last remnants of sleep. He doesn't seem as freaked out by this situation as Hunter, which is rather humiliating seeing that Hunter can't stop screaming like a girl ever since he woke up.

_Calm down, Clarington, take a deep breath and calm the fuck. Down. You can still get through this nightmare without having to murder that prick._

"Since when have you known ?"

"What are you talking about ? I can't read your stupid mind !"

"Since when have you known it's my name there ?" Sebastian reformulates, his fingers still stroking his wrist and making it hard for Hunter to stay focused.

"Stop mixing everything up, it's not your name," he replies a bit confused. "When I started wearing my wristband, it said… _Thomas_, so –"

"Thomas," Sebastian cuts him off as an amused smile slowly spreads over his lips, "is my middle name."

"I'm telling you it's not your name, are you fucking deaf or something ? If I wore you name, then you'd be–"

"Wearing yours," Sebastian finishes off for him before brushing his fingers against his nape mindlessly, only realizing now that the pain's completely gone.

He can't feel anything, which means he's reached the oh so dreaded step two. Oddly enough, now that the thought of wearing someone else's name has sunk in, it doesn't sound as horrible as it used to. Or maybe it's just that his brain is a bit slower this morning.

"You saw it, didn't you ? Your name ? On my neck ? This is weird," he chuckles, "am I supposed to call you 'honey' from now on ?"

"Wipe that smirk off, Smythe, before I have to do it myself. Even if it's your name, I already told you I'm not bi."

"Of course you're not," Sebastian nods mockingly.

"And I'm not gay either."

"Are you sure ? Because that would make you asexual, and I heard it's no fun at all."

"I'm _not…_"

Ducking his head, Sebastian nuzzles tentatively the skin behind Hunter's ear, feeling the shiver that runs from Hunter's body and propagates to his own, making his hair stand on end at the back of his neck.

"It's my name, Hunt, it's time you face it. Sebastian Thomas Smythe is right in front of you, so what do you say you stop screaming like a pig paying a visit at the slaughterhouse and we see where this thing's leading us ?" He says, purring against Hunter's hair. "I was rather convinced this whole soul mate shit was going to be nothing but a pain in the ass but if it's you I actually get to fuck, I think I could get used to it pretty soon."

With a pleased smirk he draws back slowly and releases his hold on Hunter's wrists because his mussed hair makes him look like a wild animal – and that's so fucking hot he can't wait to drag his fingers through that silky mane.

Unfortunately releasing Hunter turns out to be a big mistake.

At the military academy Hunter has learned to keep a grip on his hot temper because otherwise he got punished and _man, aren't the military instructors creative when it comes to punishments !_ But now he's far away from his former academy, and he's gotten out of lots of his old habits.

Pain explodes in Sebastian's jaw when Hunter's fist connects with it and knocks him over.

"_Fuck_, why did you do that ?"

"No one gets away with pissing me off," Hunter's snarls and in a swift motion he presses his forearm against Sebastian's throat, pinning him down onto the floor.

When Sebastian locks gazes with him, Hunter can see that there's no trace of amusement anymore. Only a fury that perfectly matches Hunter's own.

_Great, we're finally on the same wave-length._

"You're choking me, you fucking GI-Psycho ! Let go of me !"

Hunter considers beating the shit out of this asshole for only a minute before sighing and drawing back.

"Ok," he finally concedes, "but at least put some pants on, my eyes are burning."

"That's because you've been staring too intently," Sebastian replies with his usual cockiness, rubbing his jaw where a bruise is blossoming.

Trying hard to resist the urge to hit him again, Hunter spots the little heap of clothes next to the bed and quickly puts his boxers and pants back on. Then he grabs Sebastian's pants (the guy apparently goes commando on his nights out, what a surprise) and throws them at his face.

"I wonder if you were the one undressing me."

"Shut up and put those goddamn pants on."

"We were both pretty drunk after all, anything could've happened…"

"I'm sure I haven't done anything. Even _drugged_ I would never want to touch _you_."

"Is that so ?" Sebastian asks and chuckles to himself as he zips up his pants. "You must be right. If we had really done something, we would be a lot messier than we're now."

Ignoring Sebastian's smirk, Hunter shoves his hands in his pockets and asks as casually as possible : "Ok, so what do you want ?"

"What do you mean ? You wanna buy me a present for Christmas ?"

With a deep sigh – of course Sebastian won't make it any easier – Hunter explains : "You wear my name, I wear yours – you can ruin my reputation in the blink of an eye."

"Oh, I see… You're that afraid of being called a _'fag'_ when people find out about us ? That's all there was behind that bracelet, you were scared because it was a boy's name ?"

"I don't care about what a bunch of pimply-faced students may think of me. But right now what the Warblers need is a serious leader. The fact that every former captain was gay had never been at your advantage."

"So you're gay, then ?"

"Fuck _no_ ! Are you thick ?!" Hunter pinches the bridge of his nose, his almost forgotten headache making itself known again. "But that's what everybody's going to assume, and I can't let that happen. This year the jury won't have any excuses to not give the Warblers the first place. So, how much do you want to keep your mouth shut ? Dalton gave me a full scholarship to move here because my family's not rolling in money but I can still afford –"

"You want to give me money ? Oh, come on, we don't do that between Warblers. In fact, I don't see why I should keep it a secret."

"Are you kidding ? You hate this as much as me ! You said there were no chances you'll pick boys as easily as before with your mark," Hunter states as he points in Sebastian's general direction.

The other Warbler cocks his head to the side, his smile never faltering.

"Oh yeah ? Well, I guess I changed my mind – I don't want to hide it anymore. Besides, could you imagine me with a collar fastened around my neck ? It's gotten out of fashion decades ago."

Hunter's loud gulp resonates across the room and the smile on Sebastian's lips gets even wider.

"Did you just picture me in a collar ?"

"No, I didn't," the other replies raucously, clearing his throat as he tries to erase from his memory the image of Sebastian sprawled completely naked on a bed with only a black collar around his neck, looking as debauched as a sex god.

_What exactly is wrong with you, Clarington ?! Get a grip !_

"Uh, _anyway_, what are you trying to say ?"

"I'm not trying anything, Hunt. I said I'm not keeping our bond a secret."

"We're not bonded yet, idiot ! It's nothing ! We haven't… I won't let you tell ! I'm not ready for everyone to know I'm stuck for the rest of my life with_ Sebastian fucking Smythe_ !"

For a split second, the green eyes turn ice-cold and Hunter wonders if he's gone too far by making it sound like the worst thing in the entire universe. But then he recalls all the troubles he's had to face ever since he's met Sebastian Smythe – and the never-ending string of troubles to come – and all his guilt evaporates.

"You can't force me into silence. I don't know from which country you come exactly but in the United States of America it's my fucking right to do as I fucking please with my mark. Now I think I'll not only show it to the guys but everyone else in Dalton too, just to see you cry."

Sebastian's chuckle is like nails on chalkboard to Hunter, chafing his nerve-endings and making him want to close his hands around that throat and watch the other Warbler slowly suffocate.

That evil motherfucker.

"Of course, I will consider shutting it if you agree to make a deal."

Hunter quirks an eyebrow and waits for Sebastian to develop.

"You'll have to buy my silence."

"But you just said you didn't –"

"Did I say I wanted money ?" Sebastian quickly cuts him off and pointedly puts a hand on his hip.

Hunter's gaze follows his gesture and he feels his heart skip a beat. Or maybe five.

What else could Sebastian Smythe want ?

What else is he interested in aside from money ?

"Are you fucking serious ?" He can't help but laugh, because that guy can't. Be. Serious ! "You really think I'm going to pay for your silence with _sex_ ? What is it, are you that much frustrated lately ? You've already caught every gay fish in the sea ?"

"Whose fault is it that I'm not getting any ? I was doing fine last night before some moron made his appearance and screw it up."

Hunter can't find a descent come back to this one so he keeps his mouth shut and crosses his arms over his chest. That kiss last night was his mistake; it didn't mean anything so there's no point in trying to defend himself. That would only make it look suspicious.

_Drop it, Clarington, don't argue with him._

"Besides, the fact that we're soul mates is said to make it a helluva lot spicier, so I don't see why we shouldn't try it at least once."

Sebastian winks at him seductively and even when he's just about to commit homicide, Hunter has to literally fight off his laugh because Sebastian may be a very horny, tactless, overly talkative bastard, when his playful side shows up it's hard for Hunter to keep a straight face – even when he's not amused.

Not in the slightest.

_Damn you, Smythe._

"But if we do it there's no come back ! I'm not ready to bond with anyone (let alone a man), and I don't think you're either–"

"My innocent little soldier, there's so much things we can do _aside from fucking_," Sebastian says and chuckles at Hunter's murderous gaze. "So, what's your answer ? Am I getting laid or do you want me to out you in the middle of the hall ?"

"I'm not gay, how many times do I have to tell you, scumbag !"

"Yeah, whatever," Sebastian replies with a dismissive wave of his hand.

His eyes on him are unnerving, making his skin grow hotter and Hunter tries not to let it show or squirm like he wants to. Instead he sits at the edge of the bed and runs his hands nervously through his hair, trying to decide which would be the worst – being labeled as gay for the rest of his life even if nothing ever happens with Sebastian or anyone else, or agreeing to serve another guy as some sort of sex slave but keeping his name and reputation unmarred.

The most logical thing to do is of course to choose the first option. But with the competition only a few days ahead, he can't risk destroying the club's concentration and peace of mind with that kind of news (they are going to literally freak out, he can picture it from here). It's all about winning this year, and Hunter's ready to give up on everything to finally reach the top.

It's a dream he's not only having for himself, but also for another person he's always wanted to impress.

And that person is his father.

Who already considers him as a little snot unworthy of his time, even though wherever they're in public he always keeps up appearances and acts as if he fucking cherishes the ground Hunter walks on, bragging endlessly to their neighbors and family about Hunter's bright future in the US army.

Even after the huge fight they had after he quit the military academy because his fellow choir members weren't ambitious enough, his father still managed to look proud of his son when he came to meet with the principal of the Dalton Academy. That's because the Claringtons are poor sport, and even though his father considers moving from Colorado Springs' famous academy to an unknown school in Westerville as a failure, he's never going to admit defeat in front of the others.

Hunter doesn't need to be a clairvoyant to be sure as hell his father won't ever allow him to come back home if he just hears something suspicious about Hunter, like some _'unnatural deviances'_. Losing what's left of his father's love, and his mother, and his sisters ?

No, never, it's too big of a risk.

In fact, Hunter's so afraid of what his father may take from him that it feels like with Sebastian knowing – it's already too much. It feels like his father's going to hear them across the state, which is ridiculous, but Hunter can't really control that irrational part of his mind.

And what if the rest of the school learns that he's destined to bond with Sebastian ? That they're wearing each other's names ? It would be even worse, because that would multiply by ten thousand the chances of his father hearing about it !

So.

Lose the life he used to know, or give up his body to a horny Warbler ?

"What is it with the deep reflection ? We already know what you're gonna choose. You're literally pissing your pants when you imagine someone discovering our secret."

When Hunter casts him a rather surprised look, Sebastian shrugs with a grin. "I've seen many guys like you, and I don't care if you persist on locking yourselves in the closet – as long as there's enough space to fuck in it."

"Crap," Hunter finally growls after another minute spent in a vain attempt to find a way out of this mess, completely ignoring the line about the closet (_you can run your mouth all you like, Smythe, I'm still not concerned by what you say_). "Ok I'll do it," he mutters with his head cast down in defeat, "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this but it's still better than–"

"Everyone finding out about me and you, yes, you already said that."

Sebastian's reply comes out bitter but before Hunter's had time to wrap his mind around it, Sebastian's foot lands on his chest, barely pushing and just making it clear who's in charge of things now.

"You're_ so_ gonna be my bitch from now on, Clarington," Sebastian snickers.

Hunter glares daggers at him from under his eyelashes and stormy grey eyes meet gleaming green ones – Sebastian's clearly enjoying himself to no end and Hunter has to dig his fingers into the mattress to keep from punching him again, and not in the face this time but waayyy lower.

_See, that's what happens when you let people come too close, Clarington. They find your weakness and use it against you. If I had hands I would applause your stupidity but sadly I'm only your conscience. So, clap-clap, Clarington._

"Now let's discuss the terms of our little arrangement. First off, I'm the one who decides when and where we get to meet, and if you don't show up within the first twenty minutes our deal is over."

Sebastian sneers at Hunter's disgruntled face and pushes him down on the bed, motioning him to move over until he's lying in the middle of the mattress, his face flushed from the barely pent-up rage. It doesn't feel the same to follow an order coming from his instructor and to obey Sebastian simply flickering his hand at him – it's absolutely humiliating.

Sebastian climbs on the bed and sits on his lap, making Hunter shudder but he keeps his mouth sealed, not letting out a single complaint.

Sebastian studies the furrowed brows and the hands fisted in the bed sheets as a thrill runs down his spine. Hunter is really bad at faking submission because every part of his body's currently screaming its resistance. He looks like an untamed beast trying to act like a pet, only waiting for the right moment to jump at its master's throat, which is new and exciting. Every single boy he's ever done wanted him so badly they couldn't take their hands off of him for a minute. Sebastian's good at sex – he's had lots of training so it's not a wonder –, and it usually doesn't take him long to make his partners beg him shamelessly for release.

Hunter's going to be a real challenge, though. To make a boy that's utterly convinced he's straight beg for it is not going to be easy, but Sebastian can't wait to have a try.

"I thought I heard you say you weren't into blackmail anymore," Hunter hisses between gritted teeth.

"Yeah, that's true, but I'm kind of a volatile person, you know ? I change my mind all the time. But to prove you that I'm still a nice person, I'll promise I won't ever do anything you don't want."

"I don't believe you."

"Try me."

"Ok, then I don't want you touching me."

"A-ah, I'm sorry but there is a single condition : we have to touch, and yeah… getting off is kind of obligatory too."

"That's _two_ conditions, you dumbass."

Sebastian chuckles and grinds their hips hard together, tearing a moan from Hunter and watching his face turn bright red with embarrassment – or maybe anger.

_You will pay for this_, Hunter promises himself as Sebastian ducks his head and trails open-mouthed kisses along his throat before sucking at the tender skin under his Adam's apple, his hair tickling his chin. _I'll make you regret this so fucking much you'll wish you never met me. I'm gonna make your life a living hell, Smythe, I swear !_

Hunter may not be gay but he sure is still a teenager, and one who hasn't get laid for a while so he's not really surprised when his cock starts hardening in his jeans. What surprises him though is that he can't control the rest of his body. An erection is kind of something that happens when you're turned on, but his fingers suddenly running through Sebastian's long hair, gripping it roughly and urging him on as he bruises his skin ? That's not supposed to happen !

Unable to do anything about it, Hunter just bits down on his lip to stifle his moans and keeps on with it, praying for this nightmare to end quickly.

But Sebastian seems to have other plans as his mouth slides slowly down his throat to his collarbone, nibbling at it and making Hunter's breath catch in his throat, every swipe of that skilled tongue rousing him more and making his jeans feel even more uncomfortable.

"Cut this shit out," Hunter pants as Sebastian's mouth is mapping down his chest. "I don't care about foreplay."

"Hmm sorry, but I do. I'm going to make you feel_ so good_, Hunt, just wait and you'll see…."

"I just want to be done with it, so hurry up."

When Sebastian looks up and tries to meet his eyes, Hunter's head rolls to the side to avoid his gaze. But he doesn't need to look at him to know he's smiling, because when he speaks again it's clearly audible in his voice.

"Sir,_ yes_ sir."

Sebastian's skin is ice cold against Hunter's warm chest and it feels like a burn when he runs the back of his hand down his belly, a sigh escaping his lips when he reaches his perfectly sculpted abs.

Hunter's breath shudders out of him as the muscles on his stomach quiver under his touch, but he keeps staring stubbornly at the wall while Sebastian's learning the planes and dips of his body. It's maybe arousing his body, but inside it only feels all kinds of wrong.

It makes him feel like cattle. He won't be surprised if the next step is Sebastian feeling up his teeth to see if he's been well bred. If it was someone less experienced than Sebastian, Hunter's sure he'd already be considering breaking the deal. But that Warbler's a fucking skilled fox so even if he wanted to tell him to stop, at this point the only thing that would come out of his mouth would be a very unambiguous moan.

"You really are gorgeous," Sebastian whispers as he rocks his hips against Hunter's, both boys feeling the outline of the other's cock trapped in their jeans. "I'd eat you whole, if you'd let me."

That line sounds a bit scary and Hunter hurries to meet Sebastian's bright eyes. _If I find a single biting mark I'm killing you !_ is what he wants to say, but he still doesn't trust his mouth when Sebastian's straddling his hips.

"I want to suck you," Sebastian explains, darting his tongue out to lick at a corner of his upper lip. "How 'bout that, _captain_ ?"

Without waiting for an answer he stands up on his knees and tugs Hunter's pants down and off before doing the same with his own, and it's done with so much efficiency Hunter has barely the time to realize what's happening before he's stark naked again, and Sebastian – well, Sebastian's wearing nothing too.

_Great, back to square one._

"No," he says firmly and grabs Sebastian's arm before he's started crawling down his body.

Brows furrowed, Sebastian looks completely taken aback by his refusal.

"Don't even think of putting your mouth anywhere near my junk."

"Uh… This is honestly the first time I've heard that line... You can't be serious."

The dark look Hunter gives him makes Sebastian shiver in an unpleasant way.

"You _are_ serious ? Oh, wow... Don't tell me nobody's ever –"

"I've had blowjobs ! Plenty ! What do you think ?" Hunter snaps in a condescending tone.

"Wow, sorry," Sebastian replies, throwing his arms in the air in mock surrender. "So what went wrong, then ?" he asks with a grin, trying not to laugh. "Lemme guess : the girlfriend had absolutely no clue 'bout what she was doing."

"I said no, so stop talking and let's finish this quick."

Eyes suddenly hardening, Sebastian leans down and licks at Hunter's lower lip, making the other boy start.

"I shoudn't have promised to be nice," he says as he nibbles at the line of his jaw. "Now I can't have a taste, what a shame. But I won't give up that easily…"

In a swift motion, he settles fully atop of Hunter and brings their cocks together, the first full skin-on-skin contact making both their breaths catch in their throats while their bodies shudder with the brusque surge of pleasure.

Hunter can't help his hips bucking upward, the need to grind his cock against the hot silk of Sebastian's length impossible to ignore.

"Get ready, baby, gonna make you _scream_…"

Then without a single warning Sebastian wraps his fingers around their cocks and pumps them both once in a rough motion before stilling his fist with a gasp.

"Don't… _bastard_, don't stop," Hunter moans, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's neck and letting his head fall back onto the mattress.

"Don't worry, I'm barely started."

Sebastian's voice is thick as honey, and it makes a shiver of anticipation run down Hunter's spine as his whole body breaks out in sweat.

With his thumb, Sebastian draws a slow circle at the tip of the other boy's cock, watching him arch off the bed with a self-satisfied smile. He's still not moaning enough to Sebastian's liking but it's still more than what he's been expecting.

"You're so responsive," Sebastian praises him, whispering right in his ear as he starts stroking them again. "I love watching you fight it… fight_ me_… and fail so beautifully."

Sebastian's rhythm soon has them both gasping and struggling to breathe, their muscles contracting all at once, bodies tense and ready to explode.

Hunter's eyes are bright and wide when Sebastian looks at him, the grey almost invisible around the blown pupils.

When he leans forward and captures his mouth, Sebastian can feel Hunter closing it reflexively and hardening his lips in a thin line, apparently refusing his kiss.

"Open your mouth," he whispers feverishly against Hunter's mouth, peppering kisses on his sealed lips to try and convince him, not ashamed to beg for it out loud. "Open…"

Hunter's consciousness is trying to stop him, trying to remind him this whole thing is a huge mistake and he's not supposed to be letting it happen without putting a fight, but with everything in him yearning for Sebastian, it's difficult to still be considering trivial things such as sexual preferences or appearances.

It's like Sebastian's soul is crying his name every time he drops a kiss on his closed lips.

It's a desperate cry for entrance but Hunter is born stubborn like a mule, and even opening slightly his mouth to welcome that bastard is too much asking him.

"_Come on_," Sebastian moans, rubbing their noses together as if to get his attention.

Hunter's so close now it's becoming really hard to breathe only through his nose, and when Sebastian comes to the same conclusion he does a wicked twist with the hand still stroking them, making Hunter's eyes go wide as a throaty moan escapes him.

"Oh _God_, Hunt… the sounds you make."

Without wasting any more time Sebastian surges forward and kisses him, smiling against his lips when he swallows Hunter's whimper.

When he slides his tongue between the parted lips and glides along Hunter's, the sound the other boy makes reverberates through his own body and almost startles him by its intensity.

"_Fuck_ _!_"

Hunter comes without a warning, coating Sebastian's fingers, his body trashing on the mattress as he rides his orgasm out. His enraptured face – eyes shut tight and mouth completely slack –, it's nearly enough to send Sebastian tumbling over the edge too, but he grits his teeth and fights it off because the purpose of it all is not to feel good but to convince Hunter how good it can be for _him_.

So Sebastian keeps stroking him until he's completely spent, accompanying him through it all to make sure it'll be the most mind-blowing orgasm of his life.

It's only when Hunter's body slumps down on the bed that Sebastian finally releases his softening cock.

"Stop… smiling… so smugly."

"Your eyes are closed, how can you tell I'm smiling ?"

"I can hear it… so annoying."

Hunter's panting so hard he can barely speak and his chest rises and falls fast as he tries to catch his breath.

Sebastian bites his lips to keep himself from laughing. How could he have thought Hunter would be any nicer to him after an orgasm ? That guy's _born_ grumpy. And bossy.

"What are you doing ?"

Hunter's voice startles him as he's about to taste his come from his hand.

"I told you I'd find a way to taste you."

With a devilish grin and without tearing his gaze from Hunter's, Sebastian brings his middle finger to his mouth and licks it slowly before sucking it. He does the same with the four others, watching Hunter's cheeks and forehead become even more flushed than before. Hunter doesn't seem disgusted, which is a really good sign. In fact, after a short while he's looking again like his usual slightly annoyed self.

"Mmh, I knew you'd taste sweet."

"Are we finished ?"

"Is that a clear answer enough ?" Sebastian asks and rolls his hips, letting him feel his still hard erection rubbing against his thigh.

"If you're expecting me to reciprocate, you're even more stupid than I thought."

"After all I did for you, you'll let me aching like that ?" Sebastian purrs in his most seductive tone. "It's your fault after all. Coming from my kiss…"

Hunter feels his face heat up again at the memory of his unexpected explosion. There have only been bit of tongue but he still hasn't been able to control anything, and yeah, a stupid peck had sent him over the edge. It's like that with Sebastian, everything feels… more. A brush of his hand against his bare skin, a swipe of his tongue, a kiss… and Hunter's hormones go all crazy.

"No, don't be embarrassed," Sebastian whispers in his ear, "that was so _hot_…"

Hunter shivers at the compliment, feeling his skin grow even hotter.

_Damn it, this must end now or else…_

With a buck of his hips Hunter shoves Sebastian aside and rolls on top of him. Sebastian gasps but before he can start talking again – he really talks too much for his own good – Hunter grudgingly takes hold of his cock and starts jerking him off, trying to picture that he's masturbating himself to make sure he's doing it right.

Sebastian spreads his legs wide for him with a sigh and gives up every ounce of control he's had until now without a single complaint.

_Good boy, that'll make things easier._

At first it feels weird to do it to another boy but once Hunter's gotten used to it, it's not that much unbearable. He can feel the corners of mouth turn up when Sebastian moans his name as yet another shudder of pleasure rips through his entire body, half of his face buried in the pillow.

Watching him clutch at the bed sheets with so much strength his knuckles have turned white and the muscles of his neck strained at their utmost and popping out, and knowing that _he_ is the one in control now is kind of… well… _exhilarating_. Hunter's born a control freak, and completely assuming it.

But just to know to which extent his power goes, he stops stroking him and waits till Sebastian opens his eyes again, blinking and looking completely dazed.

"You fucking tease," he accuses him with a breathy laugh. "Having fun ?"

"Immensely."

"Stop fooling around, Hunt… now's not the time when I've already watched you come. I'm too close, now…"

Sebastian tries to thrust in his grip but Hunter pins his hips in the mattress with his other hand, reveling in the sound of Sebastian's unhappy grunt.

"You'll only come when I give you permission to."

Sebastian's eyes turn suddenly dark, almost black, and he's only able to pant a little "okay" before Hunter starts stroking him again at a faster pace.

"Oh _fuck_, Hunter !... I'm gonna…"

"Not yet."

Sebastian's green eyes are pleading when they flutter open for a short moment and he thrusts up his hips to meet every downward stroke of Hunter's fist, his hands leaving the bed sheet to grip Hunter's lightly freckled shoulders. His short nails are leaving scratches there but Hunter's too carried away to notice the sting, his attention completely focused on Sebastian.

With his flushed face screwed up he looks like he's in pure agony, and if Hunter was able to he's utterly convinced he'd be hard again in no time. And not only is his face flushed, but his neck and chest too, his usually white skin turning cherry pink – absolutely _edible._

"I-I…"

But as satisfying as this is, Hunter's body can't keep it up any longer especially after coming once. The muscles of his right hand are starting to ache, so he leans close enough to share breath with the other Warbler and whispers quietly in his ear : "Now."

Sebastian's desperate whimper is loud enough to almost make the windows in his room tremble.

"Come now," Hunter says, and that's enough for Sebastian's to lose control and finally _come, _moaning Hunter's name over and over.

When he finally comes down from the intensity of his climax, Hunter wipes his hand in the bed sheets as Sebastian's body is still twitching with the aftershocks.

"Wow…" Sebastian croaks with a sigh, basking in his afterglow with a satisfied grin on his face that makes him look a lot like a replete cat.

"Next time, don't treat me like a fucking doll, so that _maybe _I'll have fun too."

Hunter leaves the bed and dresses up quickly under Sebastian's appalled gaze.

But when Hunter turns around and puts a foot on the mattress to do his shoelaces, Sebastian bursts out laughing.

"Well, I thought the whole gay sex scared you shitless but... hah, seems like nothing can scare a psychopath like you. Stay assured that I'm taking good note of this."

"That was a joke," Hunter replies, hooking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, right…"

Sebastian's smirk matches perfectly Hunter's own.

"Have fun cleaning the mess. And practice today will be at 2 PM instead of three."

When Hunter closes the door behind himself, he can still hear clearly Sebastian's displeased groan.

* * *

The door.

The door is locked and the master hasn't come back since yesterday – after locking Mr Puss in his room. This is unusual, and Puss doesn't like things when they get unusual. It means he'll have to use his head to bring things back to normal, and he hates having to use his brains.

His stomach, now _that's _something he likes to use. But right now there's no food anywhere, and since he hasn't been fed this morning, it's becoming a real problem.

That's what Mr Puss' thinking as he lies on the floor on his back, moving his paws from time to time to shoo the annoying little fly that keeps landing in his nose. He's already considered eating it, but catching it would take too much _effort, _and if there's something Puss hates even more than humans or using his brains, it's _effort. _

Better lying down and waiting for the master.

The sound of the door opening startles him and he jumps on his feet, greeting the master with a loud and really, really sad meow.

"Not now, Puss, I'm _really _not in the mood to play."

The master's voice is strained and the look in his eyes makes Puss' ears lie down on his head.

Ok, he'll have to find his food all alone today, that's fine. He's already done that. The only problem is that he'll have to cross the entire distance between this big house and the one where there's a kitchen and this fat and really, really nice lady (because she gives him food, that's all).

Well, he thinks, _desperate times call for_ desperate measures. He'll have to do it if he doesn't want to wait until his stomach's started digesting itself.

Taking advantage of the open door, Puss goes out of the room and stands on his hind legs to try and open the door handle. Oddly enough, the door isn't locked and opens under the pressure.

The master has to be really disturbed today, he thinks as he sneaks out of the room and in the hallway.

Outside the wind is blowing, and Puss decides it's best to run until he's reached the other big house before his careful washing and licking session of this morning's gone to waste.

It doesn't take him long to reach the little door at the back, the one painted in that ugly grey color used only by the personal of the school. He only has to mewl in his most broken, pleading tone thrice until the door opens and the fat lady that always smell of food (**human food. Smells _yuck_, but tastes _good_**) smiles at him and lets him in. He discovered this path two weeks ago when he had to find a way to follow the master by his own means when he kept forgetting to take Puss with him in the mornings.

The fat lady always treats him right, giving him a bite or two of what's on the menu of the cafeteria, but she must have sensed Mr Puss' despair because today she puts a whole bowl of tuna with morsels of macaroni in front of him, beaming at him when joyously digs in.

After the bowl's empty (and thoroughly licked), Puss thanks the fat lady by purring briefly and rubbing his head against her ankles, and then he goes to the door and quickly gets out of the smelly room while another human enters, edging out between his legs.

He runs in the clean – and luckily deserted – hallway, not noticing the fact that it's expensive white marble that his claws are offensively scraping, turns to the right and starts climbing the stairs. He loves to climb those stairs every morning because the feel of the plush carpet under his paws feels good, rubbing just in the right places.

When he reaches the third floor, he hears voices coming from behind the closed doors of the library. Unknown laughter – Puss knows every Warbler's voice by now, and his instincts are telling him there's something unusual going on.

Coming closer, he claws at the wooden doors (if someone discovers the scratches later, he's going to play ignorant and stay away from the master because he tends to freak out whenever Puss takes liberties with furniture in general), going faster and faster until he's making so much noise the voices inside fall silent and he can hear footsteps on the other side.

_"What's that ?"_

_"Dunno, sounds like a rat."_

_"A rat ? In Dalton ? I'm not sure that's even _possible_…"_

**I'm gonna show you who's the rat, you hairless monkeys**, Puss thinks before working his claws again, this time picturing it's them he's attacking mercilessly.

_"This is not normal, I'll take a peek."_

_"No, Bl… Nightbird, wait !"_

One of the double doors opens and Puss loses his balance and wobbles a bit before falling forward and hitting his muzzle against an unknown pair of black shoes.

"It's a rat, isn't it ?" A human whispers from inside the common room while Puss is hissing and rubbing at his nose, trying to make the pain go away faster.

"No, it's… hey, wait a minute."

There are suddenly hands under his tummy, lifting him before the stranger goes back inside and shuts the door with his knee.

"It's Hunter's cat, I remember seeing him when I came here a couple of days ago."

"Uh, looks like a rat to me," the other human says and shrugs.

Puss is still a bit dizzy but the human cradling him doesn't awake any of his nasty instincts (the ones implying biting and scratching). His big gloved hands are comfortable because they lack the stickiness of usual human hands, and his deep voice is soothing and doesn't sound like a threat. In fact, he even smells good – like fruits – whereas all the Warblers reek of strong coffee at every time of day. And feet – oh dear Lord,_ the smell of feet_.

"By the way, who's that Hunter guy ? A new recruit or something ?"

Comfy-guy slowly puts him on the floor in front of the master's desk before walking away, and Puss carefully trails after him because hey, that cape floating in the air is _really_ interesting !

"He's the new captain of the Warblers."

"_What ?_ They kicked Sebastian out ?"

The other human bursts out laughing (**wow, is that his mouth ? It's huge ! Oh, come here black floating… thing ! Cloak maybe ?**), slapping his thigh before suddenly pressing his hand against his mouth and adding in a whisper : "Crap, sorry."

There's a rustling sound when they open the display case – the one Puss likes to take naps against in the afternoons because the sunbeams passing through the windows always hit that spot. In the winter there won't be much light so Puss is using every opportunity to not miss any of his sunbaths. He also likes to rub his back and sides against the dented wood at the feet of this piece of furniture, so he's kind of worried when he sees those strangers playing with it and stops trying to catch the human's cape to look more closely at what they're doing.

"Actually Sebastian's still in the Warblers but yeah, he was replaced and I don't think he's very delighted by the downgrading. When I saw him he sounded kind of… bitter."

"How is he like ? I mean, the new captain ? I bet he's a weirdo – just recalling that video is giving me goose bumps. Look !"

"I know, he was very intense when I met him. And very persuasive too, since I almost left the New Directions. I thought enrolling a new member in the club and appointing him captain so quickly would only weaken them – back when I was there Wes would have never let a mere novice take the lead, but they've actually improved since he's joined in the Warblers. Competition this year's going to be tough, that's for sure."

"Hey, you know what ? I think we must show the enemy what happens when someone rubs against Nightbird and Blond Chameleon – did you put the blazer inside already ?"

"Yes, why… ? What are you… Are you really leaving a note ? Because I'm not sure… Ok, no, this is downright rude, we can't leave that –"

"Nightbird, the situation is serious," the other human cuts the first off with a gruff voice that makes Puss hiss without any of them paying attention. "No superhero escapes from the villain's headquarters without throwing a crazy-ass cool punch line. And since it's a secret mission and no one will see us, we have no other options. Be glad I draw the line at '_no thanks'_ – since my first choice was '_go fuck yourselves with a cactus'_."

The first human's mouth drops open in shock while Puss decides he's had enough of these two because the comfy-guy is not interesting anymore and plunger-mouth (**seriously, is that a real human mouth ? Maybe the human's sick ? Yuck, parasites !**) is just being annoying since the beginning. It's time for Mister Puss to show them who's the boss of this corner of the carpet, because no fruity-scented or plunger-mouthed humans are accepted in his territory – or the master's.

"Ow, shit, the White Demon bit me !" the blond human yells and tries to kick Puss, but the cat is already gone, hiding behind the nearest couch and snickering inwardly.

Suddenly there's the sound of brisk footsteps and male voices coming from the hallway.

"Take the trophy, hurry ! It's time for Nightbird and Blond Chameleon to leave with the loot !" Comfy-guy says before laughing maniacally and scurrying with his accomplice to the balcony.

**Good riddance !**

* * *

_"Oh no, Trent, look ! The trophy's gone ! We need to tell Hunter !"_

_"N-no, wait ! He's going to kill us and make the agony last f-for days !"_

_"But, Trent…"_

"Maybe we should go and –"

"No !" Sam whispers beside Blaine and grabs his arm as they are standing still against the wall on the balcony, invisible from the inside. "If they catch us now, it's game over !"

"I know," Blaine replies in the same hushed voice, "but don't you hear them ? Nick and Trent were supposed to guard the trophy and now because of us, they're going to be in trouble with –"

"Hey, hey, wait a minute, remember that this is _our_ trophy, _we _were the ones winning it at Nationals, we have every rights to take it from those who stole it from us first ! You are not a Warbler anymore, you're with the New Directions, and we're here to restore our honor ! So you still with me, bro ?"

After a short while, Blaine nods and bumps fists with his side-kick. They wait in silence until the two terrorized Warblers leave the room.

"Ok, let's go."

"Follow me. _We knows safe paths for Hobbitses, gollum !_" Sam gurgles and beckons at Blaine with a vicious smile before chuckling to himself and putting his mask on again. The two superheroes climb down the rope they've used to reach the balcony in the first place, the trophy safely pressed against Blond Chameleon's chest.

* * *

_"Hunter ?"_

"Go away," he growls before bumping his forehead against the wall for the third time.

Taking suddenly his decision, he unclasps his wristband, the doubt making him go crazy. He's put it on back in Sebastian's room before leaving but he's been careful to not look at the name, because he's been still too shaken by everything that's happened.

But now is the moment of truth, he needs to do this because as long as he hasn't seen it with his own eyes he's never going to believe it. Besides, he's still secretly hoping Sebastian's been mistaken and it's all just a misunderstanding – one that's cost him a lot, but if there is any chance to stop this now, he _must_ take it.

It's already hard enough knowing since his earliest childhood that he's been destined to a _man_, but he can still cope with that – he has to.

But _Sebastian Smythe's ? _

No.

Fucking.

Way.

It must be the biggest joke of all time, Sebastian ending destined to another human being. There's no way it can end happily because that guy's a jerk, the only thing he's good at is breaking hearts. If Hunter ever falls for him, he's fucked in every sense of the word.

_What are you thinking there – falling for a guy ? Shit, Clarington, don't you see it ? Sebastian has already started to mess with your head !_

He still can't believe everything that's happened this morning is true. The waking up with Sebastian Smythe wearing each other's names, the blackmail, and the… well, the _sex._

Ok, maybe the part where he's being sexually _'assaulted'_ by Sebastian – _that_, he can believe. With the way the former captain's been eye-fucking him ever since they've met, he's been kind of expecting it to happen some day or another. But as he's made it up in his head, it was supposed to end with his fist in the other Warbler's face and not… not with Hunter losing it completely and _giving him a fucking handjob !_

"Oh God, what's wrong with me ?"

_"What ?"_

"I wasn't talking to you !" He shouts at the annoying Warbler on the other side of the door.

By the voice it seems like it's Nick but he's not sure, unable to pull out of his memories and pay any attention to the intruder.

_A handjob… I gave another guy a handjob. Oh my God._

Forehead and wall meet again with a soft 'thump' as he slowly takes his wristband off and looks down at his mark.

He's forgotten how godawful the handwriting is. It doesn't exactly go in a straight line and the letters are all huddled up, but there's still not denying the fact that it's Sebastian's name.

_Crap._

_"But this is an emergency ! Trent's already looking for Sebastian…"_

"What's with him ?" He asks, finally coming out of his gloomy bubble at the mention of that loathed name.

_"Nothing ! It's the New Direction's trophy ! That's what I'm trying to tell you for hours now ! It's been stolen, and we don't know by whom !"_

"What are you talking about ?"

With a deep sigh, Hunter opens his door and his icy stare lands on a rather panicked Nick (he was right after all).

"The trophy !"

"Yeah, I heard you, let's go."

Letting Nick lead the way, Hunter puts away every thoughts about this morning and follows him in a quick pace. When they reach the third floor they're greeted by Trent and Sebastian who are just coming out of his room. It looks like Sebastian's taken a shower but has been rushed out of it by the news about the trophy because his hair is still wet and he's buttoning up his blazer.

Sebastian tries to meet his gaze but when he does Hunter only glares at him (_no, no, no, don't stare at his wet hair, it's just wet hair, you stupid hormones !_)_, _not paying attention at his smug little half-smile he _always _wears but that has now a whole new signification. Now it means : '_hello again, you the guy that jerked me off this morning with so much enthusiasm'._

When the four of them arrive in front of the library, Hunter motions to Nick and Trent to stay back because the burglars can still be in there before entering the room with Sebastian beside him. He doesn't say anything to him because all things considered, it'd be great if Sebastian could get killed while the criminals are escaping.

The first thing that hits him is the open door of the display case, and of course the missing Nationals trophy.

The second thing is the note – _NO THANKS – _put on top of one of the academy's blazer neatly folded in the way only a meticulous Dalton boy would do it.

"The window's open," Sebastian points out as they hear laughter coming from the outside.

They immediately dash to the balcony, expecting to catch Blaine – all the evidences have given him away – but there's no one there.

"A grapple ?" Hunter mumbles when he spots a hook hanging at the parapet.

"Are those… _superheroes outfits ? _Or is it just time for me to quit caffeine ?" Sebastian says in disbelief and when Hunter follows his gaze it doesn't take him long to recognize Blaine with probably one of his comrades from McKinley's little diversity club.

Crossing his arms, Hunter watches them run and whoop like two little kids.

"So it seems like you made your choice ? Fine with me, Blaine Warbler. If you like losing, you're gonna be in for a threat. We're doing it," he adds with a determined frown as he casts a look at Sebastian. "And shut your mouth, you look like a moron."

"What are we doing ?" Sebastian asks, unable to tear his gaze from Blaine's running figure (and most specifically his _back_), which annoys the hell out of Hunter for no reason.

"The song," Hunter replies and glowers at him, "_Whistle. _We're gonna do it at Sectionals and beat this joke of a glee club."


	6. Are You Ready ?

**Sorry for taking my sweet time with this chapter. I just started it over soooooo so so many times, trying so many different things that I'm surprised I haven't gone crazy.**

**OK, it's 2 AM (again?) so I better get some sleep before class. Sorry for the mistakes ! (there sure are always some with me)**

* * *

"So, how's it going with Hunter ?"

Sebastian stares open-mouthed at Nick. Then the basketball slips from his hands and drops, bouncing hard on his foot and making him hiss in pain.

"Ow ! Fuck."

"I know you wanted to keep it a secret but since the night we went out, Hunter just started being so hard on you that… well, we kind of guessed what was going on."

"You… what ?"

Sebastian walks (or more like hobbles along) to the bench and sits down next to his bag with his uniform in it, before massaging his throbbing toes through the material of his sport shoe. A few feet away there's a radio on the ground that someone brought it with them and that's playing the same Enrique Iglesias disc for an hour, the volume at a quiet enough level that no one could get sick of hearing it again and again. When Nick sits beside him he frowns and tries to burn him down with a glare but, well, it doesn't work.

"You must feel really lonely to imagine this kind of bullshit. You could become a hell of a writer, _Nickelo_."

"Don't call me that !"

"Do you prefer Nickelo_deon_ ? That's your only other option."

"Why not try and call me Nick for God's sake ? Oh, man, forget about it. You're really good at changing subject," he finally sighs, a hint of awe in his voice, "but you won't have me this time. Listen, I know you and Hunter are going out and I just wanted to… well…"

Sebastian tears his eyes from his foot reluctantly – he's a bit of a softy when it comes down to physical pain, everyone's got their flaws – and looks sideways at the other Warbler. The boy is chewing his lip, something obviously weighing on his mind. That draws Sebastian's attention and he forgets about his injured foot for a moment. He also forgets to correct him that he's not going out with nobody.

"You wanted to what ?"

"The captain is marked, Seb, that means nothing good can come out of this relationship. Even if he doesn't want to acknowledge it, he's still destined to someone else. And since you started wearing those expensive scarves I suppose your mark has formed too."

Sebastian winces at the mention of the silken scarf wrapped around his neck. He's bought a bunch of those online after Hunter threatened to make him wear the collar of his cat, the one that looked more like a furry killing machine than a real pet. _Thank you, but NO thanks._

In order to wear that new piece of clothing he used for hiding the name on his neck, Sebastian had to say goodbye to his tie because, _duh_, no person in their right mind would associate a tie with a silken scarf. Gay or not. Right now he's wearing a golden one, and the short shimmering band is tied in a pretty knot at the side. Very French-_ish_, or whatever he remembers of French fashion from when he lived in Paris.

The first day he started wearing his scarf he got through a lot of trouble. The teachers asked him why he refused to wear his tie – the rules about uniforms are apparently stricter than in a freaking prison – and his lacrosse coach kept yelling at him to take it off during practice.

Sebastian tried to get by without having to show them his mark but when coach Green almost got him kicked out of the team for insubordination he had no other choice. He did the same with his teachers and they all left him alone eventually, but not without giving him those disapproving glances from time to time. Luckily Sebastian is used to that shit, having always been the bratty and insolent student all the teachers resented but who still managed to get the highest grades.

"Why are you telling me all of this, I don't give a shit about the _Marking_," Sebastian says carefully. He keeps for himself how stupid the guy is if he still hasn't thought about the possibility of them being destined to each other. Even if it sounds improbable and scary as shit. He and Hunter together; now that Sebastian thinks about it, he can't help the little smile that curves his lips. The two meanest Warblers together, they could be a hell of a couple if only…

If only Hunter wasn't in the closet.

_And if I was looking for commitment. Which I'm totally not._

"Seb, I've never seen you so smitten with anyone before. This is equivalent to a serious relationship for you, plus the fact that you're going out with someone from the team…"

"I'm not _smitten _!", Sebastian snaps indignantly.

Nick only chuckles and pats his arm.

"Yeah, yeah, keep trying to convince yourself. Seb, I assure you everyone can see how you look at him." Nick laughs again at Sebastian's face, but then he sobers quickly and his smile's gone when he adds "I've also noticed the way Hunter looks at you in return. And I'm sorry but I don't think the feeling is mutual. That's what I wanted to tell you, I think you should stop this now before you've hurt each other. The Warblers are already divided enough with Hunter's dubious methods, we don't need any more drama."

After Nick's over with his never-ending rant Sebastian can only sit there and stare at him, utterly flabbergasted. Nick worrying about him is new – hell, _anyone _caring about Sebastian being hurt (as improbable as it may be) is new, and he's not sure what to do with that.

But even knowing that Nick's worry must be genuine and that he wants nothing but keep the glee club and its members united, he still gets pissed at the way Nick talks about their captain. They both know what Nick means by Hunter's 'dubious methods'.

True, Sebastian used to think a lot about kicking Hunter out and getting his position back at the head of the Warblers. But the situation has changed, and Sebastian's realized his new position is not that bad. Even if Hunter will never acknowledge it, Sebastian's got plenty of influence over his captain's decisions, which probably makes him the co-captain. Not bad, especially with the fact that Sebastian still has a say in every decision, without the stress of leader's position.

So whenever someone speaks badly about Hunter it never fails to rub him the wrong way. It's not even a conscious thing, it just... happens. And what always comes next is Sebastian defending his captain's honor like it was his own. It just happens.

"Why are you always bringing up the same topic, I've already assured you all that it was totally safe," he says firmly, lowering his voice so only Nick can hear the rest, "you know it's nothing more than steroids and it's our last resort. Hunter knows what he's doing, he said it was usual procedure at his former Academy. I guess militaries need that shit if they want to survive the training."

It's Sebastian turn to laugh when Nick winces.

Nick used to be one of the guys that kept shaking their heads no and whining about how Hunter was the Devil himself for trying to 'corrupt' the Warblers, but when Trent got his stammering fat ass kicked out of the Warblers, Nick just gritted his teeth and eventually took his first shot like a man. Sebastian accepted because he's got no better idea to beat the New Directions now that Blaine is definitely staying with them. And he's got no regret either for not taking the perfect opportunity to denounce Hunter and get his place back, because the steroids are actually working their magic. The Warblers have never been better, even under Sebastian's lead, he can't deny it, and Sebastian literally can't wait for Sectionals, just to be able to see Blaine's sorry puppy face when the Warblers would qualify for Regionals and put the New D's to shame in public.

"OK. I know. Please, let's not talk about it right now," Nick replies, glancing around them as if he fears there may be someone spying on them. "So, will you consider it ?"

"Consider what ?" Sebastian drawls, deliberately playing dumb just because he can.

"_Breaking up with the captain_," Nick replies, stressing every word as if he was talking to a kid.

"I already told you we're not _together_, so I can't really break anything up."

"Then what are you doing ? Are you fuck buddies ? Because you've never been able to settle down and stop fucking around, so it still looks pretty serious."

"It's more complicated than that," Sebastian says, feeling just slightly guilty when he remembers that he's actually forcing Hunter into this. But since he's wearing Sebastian's name, he can't be doing something _that_ horrible. It's almost like Hunter _belongs _to him. Property of Sebastian Thomas Smythe.

Hunter seems to believe in that _Marking _bullshit, so meeting with his 'soulmate' from time to time in a deserted classroom to get off can't be as unbearable as he tries to make Sebastian believe. His boy is just a tad difficult, but Sebastian knows his way around that sort of men. They want to be chased, wooed, and what-_the fuck_-ever just to be sure they are really wanted and cared for. Sebastian keeps chasing Hunter only because he wants to get laid but, well, if Hunter wants to pretend there's more to it, he's not going to contradict him. He plays hard to get but at the end, Sebastian knows he won't escape him. Even the Bonding doesn't scare him that much anymore; when he gets bored of him, he'll leave and no damn marking or bonding will be able to stop him. "What we are is none of you concern."

"But…" Nick stares at him for a moment, his eyes shifting restlessly, searching for something on Sebastian's face and apparently ending up without finding what he was looking for. "Fine," he says, "I give up, but remember I warned you."

Nick stands up, ready to go when Sebastian calls him.

"Hey, Nick, wait ! How many of you know about me and… um, _you know_ ?"

Sebastian watches Nick turn around and shrug.

"Trent and I are the only ones but I can't swear nobody else's come to the same conclusion. You are not what one could call 'discreet', sorry to burst your bubble."

_Smart-ass_, Sebastian thinks as he watches Nick go back on the court. _What a nosy smart-ass. He'd better mind his own business, with Jeff only waiting to be plucked... Poor Jeff, he's going to wait a good century with that oblivious idiot._

Sebastian rolls his eyes and after fidgeting aimlessly for a while, he pulls his phone out of his bag and starts typing.

**Sebastian (2:32 PM) **: _Hey baby, why don't you come meet me in the gym ?_

It takes Hunter sixteen whole minutes to answer him back. He's either typing more slowly than Sebastian's grandmother or needs to mull over his answers carefully.

**Hunter (2:48 PM)** : _What for ?_

Sebastian snorts. He can't help it, the guy's so fucking cute. A quarter hour for two words, that's saying how cautious he is whenever Sebastian's concerned. Or how pissed he gets everytime Sebastian sends him a message urging him to drop whatever he's doing to join him. Sebastian's learned from personal experience that the less he says, the more pissed off he actually is.

**Sebastian (2:50 PM)** : _Basketball match and I need a loving supporter. You can bring your pompoms with you, the pink glittery ones you love so much ;)_

This time his phone buzzes almost immediately after he's hit send.

**Hunter (2:50 PM)** : _Fuck you, I can't just come and watch you lose a stupid game, that's girlfriend business and I'm so not coming to cheer you and spell your fucking name!_

**Sebastian (2:51 PM)** : _Come on, Elvis!_

**Hunter (2:53 PM)** : _I can't, I have math rn. I can't get up and smply leave the room without a good excuse. And fuck, don't call me that, I hate that name!_

**Sebastian (2:54 PM)** : _Say you're suffering from a bad case of diarrhea, I don't care_

**Sebastian (2:55 PM)** : _Hunt if you're not coming then you have to sext with me_

**Sebastian (2:57 PM)** : _What are you wearing ?_

**Hunter (2:57 PM)** : _OK, stop that. I'm coming_

**Hunter (2:57 PM)** : _Asshole_

Sebastian snaps his phone shut with a grin and waves at Trent when the latter gestures angrily at him to get his ass back on the court. He taps his foot lightly on the ground, checking that the pain in his toes is gone before standing up and quickly striding across the court to joins his team.

* * *

**Ok, so, I have a little homework for youuuuu... (and this is where I lost what little was left of my readers, lol)**

**You just have to listen to Enrique Iglesias' **_Not In Love_** because as you can guess, I'll use it in the next chap, and I'd like you to know what it sounds like. Otherwise you won't get what I'm talking about because I always end up describing the music and the moves and bla-blah wayyyy too much in detail.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed this short little thingie !**

**P.S. : I picture Seb's scarves like Fred Jones' ones from Scooby Doo (the blond dude), just that they are tied on the side... Ok, maybe not exactly like Fred's? You know what, picture what you want :D  
**


End file.
